Students excel, hospice receives big gift: Good news in Ocala/Marion County | Oct. 9, 2022

Ocala Star-Banner
·2 min read

Area students excel in higher education

Megan Coughlin, of Ocala, a member of the Class of 2026, received her first white coat recently from the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine. The white coat ceremony is a medical school rite of passage that marks the official start of a student's medical education.

Maicey Wilsher, of Ocala, recently completed Freshman Recruit Orientation Group Week at the University of North Georgia to become a cadet. FROG Week, which is held before the beginning of the fall and spring semesters at UNG, marks the transition from civilians to cadets for incoming freshmen. UNG is one of six senior military colleges in the nation and commissions more than 100 officers into the Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserve each year.

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Inaugural Leadership MCPS class graduates

Twenty Marion County community members now have greater understanding of what it takes to operate Marion County Public Schools, thanks to a program called Leadership MCPS, according to a press release from MCPS.

Leadership MCPS’ Inaugural Class members graduated Sept. 27 and include: Marissa Brown, Elizabeth Deola, Karan Gaekwad, Ashely Gerds, Kristin Gutierrez, Lindsay King, Anita Kinsler, Mandi Moore, Jennifer Nadeau, Cheri Potter, Karen Reed, Raphel Robinson, Thomas Roomy, April Russell, Jessica Smith, Vanessa Stanfield, Steven Swett, William Taylor, Renee Williams and Austin Yates.

These inaugural class members graduated Sept. 27 as members of Leadership MCPS. This program involved eight monthly sessions that taught members about various aspects of MCPS, especially behind-the-scenes support operations for its 44,400+ students, the release said.

Leadership MCPS’ inaugural class members include:

  • Marissa Brown

  • Elizabeth Deola

  • Karan Gaekwad

  • Ashely Gerds

  • Kristin Gutierrez

  • Lindsay King

  • Anita Kinsler

  • Mandi Moore

  • Jennifer Nadeau

  • Cheri Potter

  • Karen Reed

  • Raphel Robinson

  • Thomas Roomy

  • April Russell

  • Jessica Smith

  • Vanessa Stanfield

  • Steven Swett

  • William Taylor

  • Renee Williams

  • Austin Yates

Hospice of Marion County receives $100,000 for Nancy Renyhart Center for Dementia Education

Hospice of Marion County recently received an anonymous donation of $100,000 to be used for its new Nancy Renyhart Center for Dementia Education, a press release from HMC said.

The mission of this new center is to help erase the stigma and misunderstanding about dementia by encouraging conversation about the disease, while advancing education that leads to compassionate care, the release said.

Ocala Fire Rescue presents Life Saving Award to off-duty first responders

During the Oct. 4 Ocala City Council meeting, Ocala Fire Rescue recognized OFR Capt. Brent Stegall and Dixie County EMT Miranda Kilsby for their life saving actions at the scene of a motor vehicle crash that they encountered during their respective commutes, according to an OFR press release.

From left: Ocala City Manager Peter Lee, Dixie County EMT Miranda Kilsby, OFR Capt. Brent Stegall, Ocala Fire Chief Clint Welborn.
From left: Ocala City Manager Peter Lee, Dixie County EMT Miranda Kilsby, OFR Capt. Brent Stegall, Ocala Fire Chief Clint Welborn.

About 8 a.m. on Aug. 17, a vehicle with four occupants traveling on U.S. 27 was involved in a rollover crash and vehicle fire. The two off-duty first responders were traveling along the same route and stopped to assist.

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This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Good news list in Ocala, Florida includes big gift for hospice