On Friday, May 5, 2017 the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery hosted a Cocktail Party and Silent Auction to raise money for the restoration and preservation of the Historic Howard Kelly House, which was built in 1883 and has been the home of FSTM since 2004.
This occasion was also an opportunity to celebrate the contribution of Jennifer Wollheim-Devine to the cause of midwifery and FSTM. Jennifer Wollheim Devine was a Gainesville midwife, activist, daughter, wife and mother who passed away in 2007. The Jennifer Wollheim Devine Scholarship was created in her memory by her family and her mother Marilyn Magnet. Through their support and the support of other scholarship donors, over $30,000 has been distributed since 2007 to enable students to complete midwifery school. Recognizing that school is expensive, many students commute long distances to attend, and family obligations must also be met, the Scholarship covers unexpected expenses that, if unmet, would jeopardize the student’s academic career or family well-being. Without this support, many students would be unable to fulfill their dreams of becoming licensed midwives. Click here to contribute to the Jennifer Wollheim-Devine Scholarship Fund.
During the event, FSTM Board Chair Jane Houston received The Jana Borino Community Builder Award for Outstanding Dedication to the Future of Midwifery. Jane began her career in Scotland where she became a registered general nurse with a Bachelor’s degree, and completed her diploma in midwifery in 1992 to become a Registered Midwife (RM). She entered graduate school at University of Florida in 2001 and completed her MSN studies so she would be able to provide midwifery care in Gainesville, Florida. Jane was in the first DNP class at University of Florida, graduating in 2009. She continued her career in education becoming Director of Midwifery there in 2011-2015. She recently became clinical director for midwifery and women’s health at the historic Frontier Nursing University in Kentucky. She has always felt called to the profession of midwifery, and has delivered over 2,000 babies on 4 continents.
