Because of a local family’s generosity, caring and desire to give back, many nurses at Cary Medical Center have been supported with financial assistance to help further their nursing education over the past thirty years.  Members of the Reuben and Annette Cote family originally established the Family Memorial Scholarship program in memory of Annette because of the wonderful care that she received during her hospitalization at Cary in the mid-1980’s.  The scholarship has been awarded annually since the late 1980’s to a Cary Medical Center employee furthering his/her education in the nursing field, with the funds administered by the Jefferson Cary Foundation, (JCF). As other members of the immediate family have passed, including siblings Freda “Sis” Cote Classy in 1999, Paul “Bert” Cote in 2005 and Alfred “Hap” Cote in 2008, the family has added to the scholarship and made it a Family Memorial.

“Even though the extended Cote family now resides in various locations throughout the United States, they generously continue to support the scholarship fund annually here at Cary,” explained Tamra Kilcollins, JCF Executive Director. “Their commitment to the scholarship fund has continued each year to assist a recipient with continuing his/her nursing education. These wonderful gifts help make a difference for our nurses and patients right here at home, and we so appreciate their support.”

Receiving the 2018 Scholarship Award of $750 is Linda White, LPN, of Caribou. Linda will graduate in May, 2019, from Northern Maine Community College as a Registered Nurse. Linda has been with Cary and Pines Health Services for about 13 years, starting as a Certified Nurses Aide, (CNA), and then a Licensed Practical Nurse, (LPN), and will continue working as a Registered Nurse, (RN), in the Jefferson Cary Cancer Center.

“I’m so excited and grateful for the scholarship,” Linda said. “This will help with my travel expenses as I complete some of my clinical rotations in Bangor, and with the expenses associated with taking my state board exams. I can’t thank the Cote family enough for their support.”

Linda’s daughter, Melissa White, who’s attending West Virginia Junior College will also graduate as an RN next March. “I’ve been encouraging Melissa to go back to school for a few years,” Linda explained. “And she said she would if I did the same, so we have been in our programs together.”

Presenting Linda (center) with the Reuben and Annette Cote Family Memorial Scholarship is Darylen Cote (left), wife of the late Alfred “Hap” Cote, and daughter-in-law of Reuben and Annette Cote; and Tamra Kilcollins (right), Executive Director of the Jefferson Cary Foundation.