Nursing scholarships presented at formal gala

ELIZABETHTOWN – Whimsical: evoking a sense of imaginative charm or wonder; unexpected or slightly eccentric but is generally charming.

It is the perfect way to describe the venue for the second annual India Alexus McLaurin Nursing Scholarship Foundation Gala held at “The Ballroom at Whimsical” Sept. 13.

Maurice Williams a 1982 East Bladen High School graduate, known to Alexus McLaurin as “Poppy” was her rock and her daily inspiration. After her untimely death, he took upon himself the task of continuing her legacy. It entails encouraging and helping developing nurses who have the same spirit that McLaurin had – and a will to change their little corner of an infirmed world.

The gala was intended to celebrate her life by continuing to support and give nurses financial aid to further them in their journey to become nurses. It was also to recognize a woman who excelled in her field, always had a smile and found her path to create a better world for those around her.

The gala was a formal affair and over 200 people came, “dressed to the nines” and ready to remember the story and at the same time, celebrate her continued work through “Poppy.” Williams was dressed in a full black and white tuxedo and the first thing you noticed when you saw him was the pink stethoscope which at one time belonged to McLaurin.

Williams set up the gala and brought to fruition the second annual nursing scholarship foundation that honored McLaurin’s almost 30 years on this earth by providing $30K in scholarships to nurses who were chosen to best represent the vision that McLaurin had while she was alive. Ten nurses were chosen who will really exemplified her spirit.

“We presented 10 scholarships,” Williams said. “Two at $5k and 8 at $2500. The scholarships were awarded based on GPA, letters of recommendation and looked over all the applicants and chose the best that would qualify. Some of the applicants went to BCC, one is going to ECU and so we didn’t narrow it down to one institution. It’s the best feeling to give out things like the stethoscopes and the scholarships. When she passed, her mom and I just felt that we had to do something. This year those who could benefit could be new students or existing students.”

Their reach will undoubtedly go beyond what can be seen by the human eye as you consider educations made possible for nurses that will go into the world and change lives and save lives because of that passion to be a nurse.

India Alexus McLaurin laid her medical instruments and her career down Aug. 25, 2023 and would never pick them up again.

The Ballroom at Whimsical is the passion of senior designer and owner Maurice Williams. He has 22 years of experience in retail, working for Walmart. He also has two decades of experience in the floral and event industry. Maurice founded the company back in 2009. His company specializes in creating flower arrangements with a focus on individual attention to detail.

The celebration began at 6 p.m. at 314 South Poplar St. in Elizabethtown. The tickets for the gala were $65 and formal attire was requested. All proceeds supported the India Alexus McLaurin Nursing Scholarship Foundation.

McLaurin was born Sept. 15, 1995 to Demetrius McLaurin and Joi Kirk in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

At Atrium Health Steele Creek Emergency Department in Charlotte, North Carolina, Aug. 26, 2023 she died unexpectedly from a blood clot in her lung. She was 20 days shy of her 28^th birthday and three months away from graduation from Central Piedmont Community College’s nursing program.

She would not be there for the sacred act of the pinning. She would not be there to walk across the stage. She would not be there to tell the stories of the long nights of study and the camaraderie that held things together with her fellow graduates.

She was scheduled to be at the hospital that fateful day, but it was not as any would have expected – and instead of working, she would go through her final door.

To take a child to the grave is a brutal chapter in the life of parents that have to go through it, and after two years, the tears continue to come for Williams.

Her text and final words to him were, “Happy birthday Poppy, I love you. School just started back so I am getting back into the swing of things. I am at the hospital for clinicals today.”

India was a 2013 graduate of Jack Britt High School in Fayetteville. She attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and furthered her education in the nursing program at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte. India was scheduled to receive her nursing pin Dec. 13, 2023, and receive a conditional job offer at Atrium Health Medical Center in the surgical and medical unit as a registered nurse. While attending college, India worked with Walgreens and became a Senior pharmacy technician in 2017.

After her passing, Williams felt that there had to be a legacy that would not only remember the spirit of love and determination that McLaurin had while she was alive, but something that would continue her reach to her corner of the world. Through this reach, it was also helping Williams heal and deal with the pain.

He went to Bladen Community College and centered in on the nursing program there and began to bless the nursing students.

“I went to BCC and talked to the nursing students,” Williams said. “We gave out, on India’s birthday, to the nursing class bud vases with roses in them in honor of her birthday. After that, any kind of occasion, holiday, or whatever we would fix little gift bags for this one particular nursing class. For the first day of class it might have been a nursing survival kit which was really cute and we sort of adopted that class. We have been doing things for them for the past two years. They graduated this past May and the foundation bought 28 stethoscopes and at their pinning I had the pleasure of putting a stethoscope around each one of their necks.”

That wasn’t in honor of McLaurin’s 28^th birthday which she never got to celebrate here on earth, but the parallels were interesting.

He feels that he is now doing things that she would have wanted him to do and he said, “It’s helping me heal a bit. Some people pass away and you never hear their name mentioned. It’s like they’re really gone. Gone. But now if I go in and type in ‘India McLaurin,’ the scholarship is going to pop up or something about her is going to pop up.”

The night at the Whimsical was magical in all senses of the word. The room was decorated with much care and forethought with live flowers in elegant vases, white linen tablecloths, elegant covers on the chairs, a two-table charcuterie and the students from Paul R. Brown academy serving as waiters.

Upon finding a seat at one of the many round tables in the ballroom, there was prepared for each guest, a bag that had a stethoscope, a mini-nursing hat, a bottle of nonalcoholic wine and other little sundries. From 6-7 p.m. there was a social hour where people could fellowship and kick back and listen to the smooth strains of saxophonist Darryl Murrill. By 7 p.m. the place was packed and the charcuterie board had been devoured.

Deborah Guyton welcomed everyone at 7 p.m. Followed by updates by Monica Vereen. Guyton then introduced the night’s special speaker, Dr. Teressa McKoy Watts who gave some words of wisdom to the nurses present and what the scholarships would mean to them.

“I’ve thought about my teachers and guidance counselors,” Watts said. “These were people that God placed in my path to help me be successful. So it really does take a community and that’s why we’re all here tonight because we are invested in our community. And I do want to honor India and her family and I think this is just wonderful. One of the most memorable things I have heard about India was her infectious smile and that is so important. When you’re in a hospital and you are a patient we must remember that many patients do no have family members. As nurses, you become the family that they are in need of. Many times, it is the nurses who are sitting at the bedside.”

As Watts came to the end of her oration, the Reverend David Spencer came forth to pray and bless the food. People began to eat the special meal which included “marry me chicken,” brisket and roasted potatoes, green beans and rolls and sweet tea. As people were finishing up, Williams himself was cutting the cake that bore the name “India.”

“The Perfect Blend” and Murrill then joined musical forces to bring dance music as people came to dance and also to browse the silent auction items.

The nurse Honor Guard was then introduced by Guyton and the presentation of scholarships went forth, given by Guyton and Williams. The night ended with a celebration with people dancing and rejoicing at the legacy continued.