Patton Family and Cathy Collins Nursing Scholarships Awarded

(Honesdale, July 29, 2019)…Four local 2019 high school graduates aspiring to become nurses were awarded scholarships through the generosity of two families with ties to Wayne Memorial Hospital. The awardees, donor family representatives as well as officials from Wayne Memorial Hospital recently met to discuss the students’ educational paths and offer congratulations.

Recipients of the Dr. Howard R. and Marian C. Patton Scholarship were Hannah Smith of Hawley; Isabella Calabrese of Lords Valley, both graduates of Wallenpaupack Area High School and Ashly Davis, Deposit, New York, graduate of Deposit Middle-Senior High School. Paige Barillo of Lake Ariel, graduate of Western Wayne High School, was the recipient of the Cathy Collins Scholarship.

“It was an honor to represent my family and a pleasure meeting the scholarship recipients,” stated Penny Gustin Friese, granddaughter of Howard and Marion Patton.

Applicants were judged on academic achievement, community service, volunteerism as well as extracurricular activities. Additionally, students were required to complete an essay, provide references and sit for a face-to-face interview with a selection committee made up of Wayne Memorial Hospital Auxilians. Scholarship opportunities were open to school districts located within the Wayne Memorial Health System service area.

Each of the students will begin college in the fall – Smith at Widener University; Calabrese at Bloomsburg University; Davis at Mercy College in New York state; and Barillo at Marywood University.

The Patton Memorial Nursing Scholarship has benefited nursing students since 2010. The Cathy Collins Scholarship, now in its third year, was created in memory of a long-time Wayne Memorial nurse and Luzerne County Community College nursing instructor who passed away in 2015.

Photo: Front row, left to right, parents of the late Cathy Collins, Bill and Mary Theobald; Paige Barillo, Cathy Collins Scholarship recipient; Hannah Smith; Isabella Calabrese, Dr. Howard R. and Marian C. Patton Scholarship recipients. Back row: Charles Curtin, Honesdale National Bank; Jamie Collins, husband of the late Cathy Collins; David Hoff, CEO, Wayne Memorial Hospital; Penny Gustin Friese and Jack Dennis, executive director, Wayne Memorial Health Foundation. Missing from photo was Ashly Davis, Dr. Howard R. and Marian C. Patton Scholarship recipient.