Kara Branton & Joyce Simpson on the Nurses Honor Guard of the River Valley

<p>Kara Branton and Joyce Simpson join the podcast to share the story of the Nurses Honor Guard of the River Valley, an organization Kara founded in 2021 after seeing a Facebook video and losing her grandmother, a lifelong nurse. The group performs Florence Nightingale tributes and lamp-extinguishing ceremonies to honor nurses at their funerals, has completed over 130 tributes since becoming independent in 2023, and also shows up for Nurses Week, pinning ceremonies, and community service at Hope Campus. Kara and Joyce, a 43-year nursing veteran, open up about what drew them into the profession, the emotional weight of the job, and how they&#39;ve avoided burnout over decades of care. The conversation closes with their favorite Fort Smith restaurants and historic spots.</p><p><br>#DiscoverFortSmith #FortSmithArkansas #NursesHonorGuard</p>