On October 7th, 2006, NEONI is holding its first gala fundraiser, “Northeast Ohio’s Legacy of Nursing.” We will honor those who helped to grow the nursing profession by recognizing another era of tremendous shortage in our country.  During World War II, Representative Frances Payne Bolton sponsored federal legislation leading to the formation of the Cadet Nurse Corps of the Public Health Service.  Before disbanding in 1948, the Corps program generated more than 124,000 nurses.

Our gala theme is a 1940s World War II-era event with exciting swing dancers and big band music housed in the International Exposition Center (IX Center) Ballroom located in Brookpark, Ohio. This event will feature a mobile hospital, courtesy of the United States Army, and displays of nursing memorabilia from the 1940s and the current day.

Earlier on October 7, we will extend an invitation throughout the region to nurses and nursing school students, their families, high school students and the general public to an open house.  In this preview, we will feature the mobile hospital, the Life Flight helicopter, and memorabilia displays.  Visitors will be able to draw comparisons by viewing the nursing and healthcare gala exhibits contrasting the 1940s and the present day.

As part of the event, we will recognize some individuals who have made especially noteworthy contributions to or have demonstrated significant support of nursing and hold a prominent place in the community.