CFK Keys Currents-2020-21

CFK COVID-19 Heroes
On the Front
Lines
In its 55 -year history, The College of the Florida Keys
has cultivated legions of graduates who set forth from the
tiny island campus to make their mark on the world.
CFK alumni take more than just knowledge, skills, and sun-soaked memories along with their diploma. Living and
learning on an island chain — separated from “real world” conveniences like Target, and in the path of tropical storms
and hurricanes — CFK students develop a strong sense of community and the importance of lending a helping hand.
This spring, when the coronavirus pandemic usurped our daily lives, we saw those qualities radiate in the CFK family.
Alumni, students, and employees have provided — and are still providing — heroic services on the front lines in a variety
of professions. This segment salutes just a few of many who deserve gratitude, recognition, and emulation.
Tina Carr
(AS, Fin
Mgmt ’81)
Senior Vice
President and
Loan Servicing
Manager /
First State Bank
of the Florida
Keys
At the onset of
the pandemic,
as jobs were
being lost,
businesses closed,
and incomes
restricted, many
wondered how
they would put
food on the table, let alone pay their bills. CFK alumnus Tina
Carr, who serves as Senior Vice President and Loan Servicing
Manager for First State Bank of the Florida Keys (FSB), headed
up the team that immediately jumped into action creating two
loan deferral programs allowing hundreds of Monroe County
bank customers six months of breathing room, in a world in
which they were otherwise scared to take a breath.
Tina also was a part of FSB’s Paycheck Protection Program
(PPP) team that processed almost 1,000 loans (26% of all PPP
loans in the Keys). These loans provided over $50 million in
desperately needed funding to local businesses, and thus to
their employees, impacted by the COVID-19 shutdown.
A native of Key West, Tina joined FSB in 1975 as a
Switchboard Operator after graduating from Mary Immaculate
High School. She earned an Associate in Science in Financial
Management at CFK in 1981, helping her to climb the ladder
in her banking career. This year, Tina celebrated 45 years of
service to FSB as well as the Keys community.
Meghan Foster (BLE ’20)
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Deputy
Since she was a girl, Meghan Foster knew she wanted to be a
police officer. She watched her father’s struggles take him in and
out of jail throughout her childhood. While such painful events
may traumatize some people, Meghan found motivation. She
decided that she wanted to help people and contribute to the
“right side of the law.” The Coral Shores High School graduate
set a plan to reach her goal before her 20th birthday.
Meghan joined the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office’s (MCSO)
Civilian Reserve Volunteer program in 2019 after participating
in a ride-along with a deputy she met while waitressing at Hobo’s
Café in Key Largo. Soon, she was spending her weekends on
ride-alongs that spanned day and night — soaking up the
real-world experience and learning from multiple mentors.
During the week, she formally trained in CFK’s rigorous Basic
Law Enforcement Academy — studying law, communications,
firearms, and vehicle operations.
When the pandemic hit, Meghan asked to help at the US1
checkpoint. The checkpoint was set up at Monroe County’s
northern border to limit the number of people entering the Keys so
as to protect residents from the initial spread. She joined MCSO
from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the grueling heat — all while balancing
her evening classes. She
racked up 180 hours
working the checkpoint,
which earned her
MCSO’s Reserve Deputy
of the Quarter award.
Meghan graduated
from CFK in October.
During the ceremony,
she was sworn in as a
new MCSO officer —
officially joining the force
and embarking on her
dream career.
Amy Dees
(ASN ’20,
BSN)
Respiratory
Therapist /
Lower Keys
Medical Center
Since the first
ventilator went
up at Lower Keys
Medical Center (LKMC), Amy Dees has led respiratory care in
the ICU as coronavirus infiltrated the Keys. Although still in the
final semester of her nursing degree, the Navy wife and mother
was well-qualified for the challenge. With over 21 years of critical
care experience, she has cared for patients during SARS, Swine
Flu, Avian Flu, and other outbreaks in various locations.
Amy considered putting school on hold. She was working
days and nights at the hospital to keep a watchful eye on
her patients. While an academic break would have been
understandable during such trying times, her fellow nursing
students and instructors rallied behind her. They helped her
study and made sure she was eating. They sent her texts of
encouragement as well as condolence.
Remarkably, Amy persevered and finished her associate
degree in Nursing in May and became a Registered Nurse in June.
She continues to fight COVID-19 at LKMC. She also works for
the state of Florida in a COVID-19 crisis relief program that
deploys Respiratory Therapists and Nurses to struggling hospitals.
Since March, Amy has spent weeks at hospitals in Miami and
Boynton Beach caring around the clock for critical patients on
ventilators and life support.
The horrors of the pandemic have only driven Amy to do
more and give more. In August, she began her bachelor’s degree
in Nursing at CFK. Somehow, she balances schoolwork with
two jobs and caring for her two children while her husband is
stationed overseas. The epitome of grace under fire, Amy is a
hero and role model.
Carmen Garcia
(AA ’11)
Regional Disaster
Workforce Engagement
Manager / American
Red Cross Texas
Gulf Coast Region
Fire, floods, and hurricanes
wreak havoc throughout the world at increasing rates —
leaving devastation and human suffering in their wake.
Valiantly, the American Red Cross deploys droves of volunteers
to render aid and ease suffering in disaster zones year-round.
CFK alumnus Carmen Garcia leads a team of such heroes in
Houston, Texas.
When the pandemic arrived, problems compounded for
thousands of people in Carmen’s region, who were displaced,
low-income, and still recovering from Hurricane Imelda, which
made landfall in 2019. Committed to continuing their invaluable
mission, she had to find ways to keep her volunteers safe as well
as the families they were serving. Half of their operations moved
to virtual and new safety protocols were established, requiring
Carmen to quickly train dozens of volunteers in the new ways of
delivering “hands-on” services in a new era of social distancing.
As Hurricane season ushered in storm after storm — Hannah,
Laura, and Beta — Carmen and her team were ready to help.
They continued to provide shelter (now in individual hotel
rooms instead of mass shelters) and continued to distribute
food and emergency supplies (now packaged individually and
delivered without contact) to the hard-hit communities.
Carmen is no stranger to humanitarianism. Before joining the
Red Cross, she built upon her CFK degree (which she earned
while still in high school) with bachelor’s and master’s degrees
in sustainability. After college, she returned home to work
with the S.O.S. Foundation, which provides food to the most
vulnerable people in the Keys. Her passion for helping people
and solving food security crises eventually led her to the Red
Cross, where she plans to contribute for years to come.
28 KEYS CURRENTS A PUBLICATION OF THE COLLEGE OF THE FLORIDA KEYS
A PUBLICATION OF THE COLLEGE OF THE FLORIDA KEYS KEYS CURRENTS 29