FARMINGTON — Early Thursday morning, March 4, forestry and wood harvesting students recognized nurses at Franklin Memorial Hospital with bracelets.

The forestry and wood harvesting program is offered through Foster Career and Technical Center on Mt. Blue Campus. Students are from Mt. Blue, Spruce Mountain and Rangeley schools.

“February was National Career and Technical Education month,” instructor Rodney Spiller said recently.

Emphasis focuses on employability skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, responsibility, and technical proficiency in career and technical education.

“Forestry wanted to do an act of kindness for the community,” Spiller said. “We decided to recognize the hard working nurses during this pandemic.”

The students had pink bracelets made with ‘Nurses, a cut above the rest   Thank you, FTC Forestry’ stenciled on each bracelet.

The students arrived prior to the 7 a.m. shift change to give the bracelets to nurses as they left or entered the hospital. Franklin Community Health Communications Director Jill Gray was contacted previously to verify they could do so and ensure all guidelines were followed, Spiller said.

“The kids were very excited, and the nurses appreciated the bracelets,” he said. School board member Jesse Sillanpaa was also there to help, Spiller said.

“I was there,” assistant instructor Dean Merrill said Monday. “I was very touched. It was a small gesture, but I think they were really appreciative.”

The forestry program is excited about its new Wallenstein log loader, purchased with grant moneys and from trading in old equipment, Spiller said.

“It will allow the program to move wood products to the landings or the mills,” he said. “It also gives more relevant training to our students, and will allow more hands on experience.”

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