Hello, my name is Patty Ramsay, your Northeast Regional Director, and a former active-duty nurse, having served thirteen years in the US Air Force. I took on the director role in September 2021 and am now starting my third two-year term. It has been so rewarding getting reacquainted with old Air Force nurse friends and making new ones. I live in Western Pennsylvania about an hour southeast of Pittsburgh and grew up in a small town called Windber. After my husband Mark’s retirement from the Air Force, we decided to make it our primary residence in 2015 and finally got to throw away all our packing boxes!
The Society of Air Force Nurses (SAFN) founded in 1986 is an incorporated 501(c) (19). Its members include registered nurses who currently serve or who have served in the United States Air Force Nurse Corp as either Active, Reserve and Guard or as WWII Flight Nurses. Sadly, our WWII generation has mostly passed on, but their influence is still felt in the Society today.
SAFN is made up into seven distinct regions that include areas outside of the continental United States. Our Northeast Region (NER) includes those living in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and extends to members living in Europe, such as the United Kingdom and Germany. Since members are spread out, local chapters in each area can be started to help lessen travel time and help us stay better connected. Currently we have one chapter called the Colonials located in Massachusetts.
Let me introduce a few key members of our Northeast Region:
As the Outreach Representative, Donna contacts the members in our region who identify themselves as experiencing changes in medical/physical or life events for themselves or their significant others. If these members wish for the information to be given out to the Society, Donna will contact the Outreach Chairperson who will send this update and any requests to the rest of the Society members. The list of members on Outreach is posted on the SAFN website and on a monthly email message to all members of the Society. Our members may simply request cards or prayers during a difficult time in their lives. Donna is also aided by Carol Hansen who coordinates outreach for Massachusetts members.
Patti is our Memorial Representative who will send condolences to the next of kin after the death of one of our members. Also, when notified of the death of a member, she will try and attend the funeral or find a designee who lives nearby. A Nightingale Tribute, with the family’s permission, can be performed by any Society member and has been greatly appreciated by the family. Patti also keeps a record of those members who died and this will be recorded in our electronic Book of Remembrance available on our website. Our motto after “Caring and Sharing” continues to “Always Remember.”
Barb is our Colonial Chapter Coordinator and volunteers to organize gatherings for the members in her area that live within a reasonable travel time to one another. It is not an inclusive gathering, and any member is welcome to attend. It would be wonderful to have more Chapters in our region. Please notify me if you would consider starting one.
Like all nurses, SAFN members know how to have fun when we get together. Usually on the even years each region tries to have a meeting in a centralized location that is convenient for their region. As a reminder, everyone is invited to attend any regional meeting. You will find the dates listed in the Society webpage or in the Rendezvous. The National Reunion (formerly called Convention) is held on odd years and the most recent one occurred in October 2023 at the International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
I am looking forward to the 20th Biennial SAFN National Reunion since it will be held in Warwick, Rhode Island, in our own Northeast Region. The venue for the Reunion is the Crowne Plaza Providence Warwick Airport hotel which is conveniently located about 3 miles from Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport. The dates for our Reunion this year are 13 to 17 October 2025. Tours at the reunion include Mystic Seaport, Newport, Warwick Village and Providence. If desired, there is an optional cruise sailing from Boston on 17 October for a week up the New England and Canadian coastlines. I am looking forward to this event to create new memories with you all! Please contact me for any questions or commends at northeastdirector@safn.org
