NMU donates 24 laptops to Norlite Nursing Center

MARQUETTE — Residents of a local nursing home are now more connected, thanks to a generous donation made by Northern Michigan University.

Norlite Nursing Center’s residents can better connect with family and friends, thanks to NMU donating 24 laptops earlier this afternoon.

According to Norlite’s administrator, the connectivity this donation brings is a necessity, since the prevalence of the coronavirus means visitation is still prohibited.

“Connectivity is a very important thing in these days,with lack of visitation mandated by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services,” said Wayne Johnson, Administrator for Norlite. “We have to find alternative methods for getting our residents access to see their families, to participate in events, to participate in activities within the facility, and by Northern donating these laptops, it’s a significant step towards getting us the technology that we need to make this happen.”

The 24 laptops donated were recently returned to NMU’s IT department after the winter semester ended, where they were refurbished for further use.

Since NMU has had their laptop program for nearly 20 years, this donation made perfect sense.

“This made sense, and it’s something that we can do quite easily,” added Derek Hall, Chief Marketing Officer for NMU. “We’re happy to provide these machines. They’re well running machines, they’re ready to go, and we’re excited to help the residents here at Norlite.”

Additionally, Synergy Fitness donated tablets to the nursing home, while Norlite purchased a dozen Kindle Fires for their residents.

Norlite currently has 47 residents at their facility.