TRINIDAD, CO – As part of Mt. San Rafael Hospital’s annual Golf Tournament held this past August, proceeds from the event were provided to the Trinidad State College Foundation intended to fund scholarships for local nursing students. Four nursing scholarship recipients recently came together for presentation of their awards for the 2022-2023 school year; Aislinn Castillo, Emily Dawes, Deidre Dimino-Santistevan, and Ty Mitchell.
Mt. San Rafael Hospital’s annual golf tournament held at the Trinidad Municipal Golf Course is a fundraising staple – both for the hospital and area golfers. Fundraising efforts in year’s past have always benefitted important projects or necessary equipment for the Hospital and/or Clinics – and has even helped to support the Hospital’s recently completed Facility Renovation Project. However, this year was different – and even more personal. This year, thanks to a partnership with Trinidad State College and the Trinidad State College Foundation, all proceeds from the hospital’s golf tournament went directly to funding vital scholarships for local nursing students; a direct link to the future of healthcare.
Making these nursing scholarships possible were the amazing sponsors and teams who very generously stepped up to the meet the fundraising challenge and support Trinidad State College students on their journey in healthcare. A sold out tournament was held on August 12 thanks to gold sponsors Evergreen Natural Resources, Griego Insurance, Tercio Ranch, Trinidad State College Foundation, and UCHealth. Bronze sponsors included The First National Bank in Trinidad, Gobins, Inc. Business Solutions, Innova, and Parkview Health System. First place was awarded to the team from Tercio Ranch, second place went to the team from Main Street Liquor, third place was awarded to Team SECOM, and fourth place went to the team from Trinidad State College.
“I would like to thank Mt. San Rafael Hospital for selecting me to be a recipient for this scholarship,” said nursing student Deidre Dimino-Santistevan. “…This scholarship helps me work toward my education without completely struggling through the process. I am proud to be in this nursing program and eventually be able to give back to my community by employing myself through this hospital being the best nurse I could possibly be,” Dimino-Santistevan continued.
“I am thrilled to be a recipient of this scholarship…,” said nursing student Ty Mitchell. “I plan to continue my nursing education in the hopes of becoming a neonatal nurse practitioner or CRNA and this scholarship will play a big part in allowing me to be able to achieve this goal,” Mitchell said.
“This is a tremendously rewarding partnership with Trinidad State College and the Trinidad State College Foundation. What better way to both support our community and those in our industry than providing much-needed financial support to nursing students who will have a direct impact on healthcare in the future,” said Kim Lucero, Mt. San Rafael Hospital Interim CEO. “There is so much need in healthcare right now – in all areas – and we are thrilled to be able to contribute in a positive way to the future of healthcare by helping to fill those needs. I am so grateful to the College and the Foundation, our tournament sponsors and all the teams and players for their partnership and huge role in making this happen for these students. It’s been a great new way to use our annual golf tournament and make a tangible impact not just on the hospital, but for the whole community.”
Due to the success of this new partnership with Trinidad State College and the Trinidad State College Foundation, Mt. San Rafael Hospital intends to continue to the arrangement. Going forward, all fundraising efforts from hospital golf tournaments will go toward providing scholarships to local nursing students attending Trinidad State College.
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About Mt. San Rafael Hospital
Mt. San Rafael Hospital is a 25-bed critical access facility serving the medical and surgical needs of Trinidad residents and the surrounding areas. Our vision at Mt. San Rafael Hospital is to be a model for rural healthcare and wellness and the provider of choice for our community. For more information about the hospital or the partnership with Trinidad State College and the Trinidad State College Foundation, please contact Kim Lucero, Interim CEO, at (719) 846-8050 or via email at klucero@msrhc.org.
