Eileen Luketina

Heartland Heroes was created to shine a spotlight on people who have made a special contribution to New Jersey’s Heartland. My dearest sister, Eileen Luketina, is one of those people. Eileen has served our country in Germany and Afghanistan as an officer in the United State Air Force. When she returned home she continued to serve our Heartland community for many years as a cardiac care before eventually retiring due to disability. The true beauty of Eileen is that she has never stopped giving back to others. Since retiring, she has used her time and her life to visit with nursing home residents, talking with them to recreate cherished memories which she then stiches into and memory quilts with so they could see and hold their memories near and dear every day. Most recently Eileen noticed an elderly woman in the neighborhood attempting to walk her dog and take out the trash while using a walker. Eileen wrote her a note, enclosing her phone number and an offer of assistance. The two have become dear friends, with Eileen now helping to bring meals and assist with the necessities of daily living. We tell members of our armed forces thank you for your service. I would like to nominate Eileen as a Heartland Hero and thank her for her service to our country, her community and her neighbors in New Jersey’s Heartland.