Prairieland Hospice Foundation of Galesburg is about caring and helping.
They have provided blankets, personal items and holiday meals for hospice patients and sponsored grief camps for children coping with the death of a loved one.
Now the foundation’s compassion has extended to Black Hawk College students in the form of five new scholarships.
Prairieland Hospice Foundation donated $10,000 to the Black Hawk College Foundation to create an annual scholarship for four nursing students and one EMS student. Each student received $500 for the 2024-25 school year.
Although the foundation is based in Galesburg, it works with Compassus, a company that provides hospice services in Galesburg and Moline.
Over the years, Prairieland has offered support and services to Compassus patients and the surrounding communities.
“We want to do something for the community,” said Dr. Jim Cecil, a retired physician and president of the Prairieland Hospice Foundation.
“Education is the key,” he said. “I’m a great believer in education.”
Akos Tiwa of Moline, an Associate Degree Nursing student, is one of the scholarship recipients.
“Nursing school is hard and expensive,” she wrote in her thank you letter. “Knowing the expenses that come with nursing school, I started to worry about how to pay for it all.
“I sincerely thank you for your generosity and support in assisting me to advance my education because of these donations,” she wrote. “You are unquestionably big helpers to Black Hawk College students.”
Scholarship recipient Tyler Kline of Colona, an Emergency Medical Services student, has volunteered with two rural fire departments in addition to working full time for an ambulance service.
“Since I was a little kid, I have always been attracted to public services,” he said.
Receiving the Prairieland Hospice Foundation Scholarship is helping him pursue his dream of becoming a paramedic.
“My major is EMS. I chose it because I love helping people and I want to continue in a family tradition of public services,” he said.
Zenaida Landeros, executive director of the Black Hawk College Foundation, said the generosity of the Prairieland Hospice Foundation provides vital support to students who are training to become the skilled and compassionate caregivers the community needs.
“We are deeply grateful to Prairieland Hospice Foundation of Galesburg for investing in our nursing and EMS students,” she said. “Because of Prairieland’s help, these students can focus fully on their education and future careers in health care.”