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Nurse Marjorie Nickleberry
Affectionately known as Nurse Marjorie.
The Spirit of Light Award
2004/2005
Marjorie Nickleberry, RN
This year's Spirit of Light Award winner exemplifies the title and intent of this award. Marjorie Nickleberry has been a nurse for 46 years. Virtually all of her career has been happily dedicated to the Blind Childrens Center. She has been our school nurse for 34 years.
Born and raised in New Jersey, Marjorie became a nurse simply because she wanted to help people. She received her training and nursing diploma and certification at The New Hampshire State Hospital School of Nursing in 1959.
She came to the Center in 1969. During that time, the Center was a residential facility. She quickly fell in love with the children and would even take them home on the weekends if their parents were unable to pick them up from school.
Affectionately known as Nurse Marjorie, she has seen many of the children return as adults and the first person they ask to see is the nurse. An avid baker, Marjorie not only shares delicious treats with the Center's staff and families but she still sends peanut butter cookies to one of the Center's graduates every year on his birthday. He is grown now with a family of his own.
Nurse Marjorie is an integral part of the Blind Childrens Center family. She greets every child and family with a big smile as they come into school in the morning and when children are absent she immediately calls the families to make sure they are okay. Marjorie visits the children if they are hospitalized. She not only takes care of the students but is also the Safety Committee Coordinator, providing training and overseeing the health and safety of the entire Center.
Each year Marjorie enthusiastically organizes an activity for the Center, like a children's art walk or a bake sale, to raise money for and awareness of the Center.
Her dedication extends beyond the Center's walls which earned her a special proclamation for her charity work with the poor from Pope John Paul II. Since 1980, Marjorie has headed the Christmas dinner committee at her church helping the homeless and needy. Initially she served 19 people. This year she cooked 30 turkeys and served 800 people in the basement of St. Agatha's Church. But, of course, she does much more than just serve dinner that day. Every adult guest receives a wrapped gift and every child receives three gifts and gets to visit with Santa.
We are grateful for Marjorie's devotion and compassion and honored tonight to present her with the esteemed Steve Garvey Spirit of Light Award.