Great River Nurses Honor Guard- West Burlington, Iowa

11/11/2026

Next meeting is 11-14-26 at 1000 @ Klein Center. We will continue to collect money for Nurses Week and practice the GALA opening ceremony! This will be our last meeting of 2026! So proud of what our group of nurses has accomplished in less than a year!! Look forward to seeing everyone and we will also hand out schedule for 2027 meetings and events! New members are welcome! Please share below your personal experience participating in Great River Nurses Honor Guard.

11/05/2026

Great River Nurse Honor Guard did a final call nursing tribute on October 19, 2026 for Mary Margaret Wagner at St John’s Catholic Church. Mary began her nursing training at Mercy Hospital in Burlington and received her Registered Nurses Degree in 1964 from St Joseph’s School of Nursing in Ottumwa. Mary Margaret retired from the Des Moines County Public Health Office after 20 years as a public health nurse. She previously worked for Dr Breckner and Dr Gundrum office, the WIC program in Des Moines County, taught CNA/Nursing Home In Service Programs at Southeastern Community College for over 20 years and she helped with the Nurturing Program at Young House. The following nurses proudly participated in her tribute: Sherry Siefken, Mary McLatchie, Dale Lesher, Bev Schier, Sue Simmons, Therese Lees, Teresa McKelvey, Barb Blom, Chris Oleson, Judy Pilkington, Jeanne Titus, Barb Garcia and Kathy Cahill.

10/28/2026

🚨 Important Announcement: Stand up to protect nursing leadership at the Iowa Board of Nursing.

A proposed change to Iowa Code Chapter 152 would remove the current requirement that the Executive Director of the Iowa Board of Nursing be a licensed Registered Nurse (RN).

Why is this concerning? Nursing expertise is essential to regulatory leadership, the Iowa BON regulates the state’s largest licensed healthcare workforce, and the RN requirement preserves knowledgeable oversight of nursing education programs. 

🗣️ Please take action! Reach out to the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) to share your concerns and explain why having a licensed RN serve as Executive Director matters to you, the nursing profession, and the future of patient care in Iowa.

📧 Please send your comments to BOTH email addresses:

✉️ [email protected]

✉️ [email protected]

📅 DEADLINE: October 31, 2026

Your feedback matters. Whether you are a nurse, nursing student, healthcare professional, or concerned Iowan, take a few minutes to make your voice heard before the deadline.

10/20/2026

10/18/2026

Next meeting is Saturday October 24th at 1000 at Klein Center. We will be practicing the opening ceremony for Gala.
We will also have sign up sheets for December 14th and 15th SCC nursing pinning ceremony!
Our plans are to go to lunch downtown @ Bulldog on Main after 10-24-26 meeting for those that are interested in joining us.
Don’t forget your cash donation for nurses week.
New members are welcome!
November meeting has changed to 11-14-26: please mark your calendars!
No meeting in December.
January 9, 2027 will be first meeting of 2027.

09/27/2026

Great River Nurse Honor Guard participated in the Mediapolis civil war rededication at Kossuth Cemetery on 9-26-26. Nurses participating were: Karen Harshbarger, Sherry Anderson, Abby West, Teresa McKelvey, Kathy Cahill, Mary McLatchie, Nancy McKee, Dawn Flaatten and Sherry Siefken.

09/27/2026

09/25/2026

Meeting tomorrow at Klein Center at 1000. New members are welcome! We will be practicing the Gala tribute. See you there.

09/15/2026

Great River Nurse Honor Guard did a graveside tribute at Burge Cemetery in New London. Iowa on 9-15-26 for Monica Simmons Blanck. Monica received her nursing degree in 1956 from Burlington Hospital School of Nursing. As a lifelong registered nurse, Monica worked at MHI in Mount Pleasant, then for 25 years as an office nurse for Drs H. M. Readinger and William Vaughn in New London, retiring in 2000. Nurses participating in the tribute: Dale Lesher, Laurie Parks, Melissa Hopp, Chris Oleson, Sherry Anderson, Kay Overton and Janelle McGuire.

09/13/2026

Just hit 400 followers!!! Let’s go for 500!!!!!