Island Health & Wellness Foundation (IH&WF) recently announced the creation of a $500 scholarship to benefit a Deer Isle-Stonington high school student pursuing either a degree or certification in a health related field. This year, Island Health & Wellness Foundation will dedicate the scholarship in honor of Sandy Eaton, a local nurse who spent over 40 years working at Island Medical Center until her retirement in December 2020.

Anne West, Executive Director of IH&WF, explains, “A significant piece of the work that IH&WF does involves provider and staff recruitment and retention. It is no secret that all over the country, and especially in rural areas, communities are experiencing serious shortages of trained health care workers. We felt that it was important to ‘grow our own’ by encouraging Deer Isle-Stonington High School students to pursue careers in health care fields.”

West continues, “No one better personifies the goals of this scholarship than Sandy Eaton. A local graduate, Sandy went on to serve as a nurse at Island Medical Center for over four decades. Professionalism, compassion, and kindness have marked her service to generations of islanders. The Island Health & Wellness Foundation Board of Directors is privileged to honor her in this way.”

For details on how to apply for the scholarship, high school seniors should contact Susan Siebert in the Deer Isle-Stonington High School Guidance Office for an application. All applications are due by April 15, 2021.