We had a fantastic meeting at The Girl and the Raven in Abingdon, VA, on February 1, 2025! Thank you to everyone who joined us for our monthly meeting!  

Pat Meinen, from Medical Reserve Corps came to enlighten everyone on their services and to announce the Annual Conference presented by NETN, SWVA, and Sullivan County MRC Units.  The conference is on Saturday, April 5, 2025 at Northeast State Community College, 2425 TN-75, Blountville, TN 37617, from 8 am to 5 pm. They will be covering a Sheltering Exercise, CPR Certification, Communications, Networking, Mental Health and Disasters, and much more! So SAVE THE DATE!!

Southwest Virginia Nurse Honor Guard-Christine Mullins presented an update on progress with the website, social media, membership (n=37), counties covered, ongoing raffle ticket sales for the EKO Stethoscope, and future plans.  The raffle will be drawn at the next SWVCNP regional meeting on March 1, 2025.

County Champions were established to disseminate services regionally.  The County Champions are responsible for arrangements with the funeral home, family members, and the honor guard members. Several members volunteered for this effort.  

The southwest region is creating a basket to raffle off at the VCNP Conference.  The theme is Rustic, Appalachian Adventures.  Each member is going to purchase items up to $25 for the basket and we will work on it together at the next meeting SWVCNP Regional Meeting on March 1, 2025.

There was a robust discussion on calendar events for this year and things our group was interested in hosting/participating in, i.e., REVIVE Training, conferences, museum of trees, parades, trunk or treats, and drug takebacks.  Coetta Neece has started a calendar to add events to for our region. We also discussed hosting meetings outside of Abingdon--alternating sites for more participation.  

Our next meeting: March 1, 2025 at The Girl and the Raven, 380 E. Main Street, Abingdon, Virginia, 9:30 AM. We hope to see all our members at the next meeting!!

We forgot to get a group photo, however, we did get a few pictures to share!  Many thanks to Tauna Gulley, Southwest Region President, for leading our group meeting and for all the members who showed up for networking!