Caring for our community is a family tradition. My father’s mother, Marilyn Moses, started a family medicine practice out of her home in Southborough, Massachusetts, after being the only woman in her class in medical school. She practiced pediatrics there for nearly 40 years.

When I was 10, my other grandmother came to live with us in Ticonderoga, New York. She was ill and needed care, so I volunteered to be her caregiver. She said, “You know, you’re good at this – you should be a nurse.” And just like that, I was on my path to a career in medicine.

Marilyn’s father, Luther Moses, was a resolute farmer in the early 20th century. Her uncle, Horace Moses, was a successful businessman, perhaps better known as the benefactor of Moses Ludington Hospital and Hancock House. Both men were generous, supporting youth, agriculture, education and their local community.

I strive each day to give back just as they did. I work at the Ticonderoga emergency department of Elizabethtown Community Hospital, which sits on the site of the hospital established by Horace and his business partner, Mary Ludington, more than 100 years ago.

I am proud of where I come from, and it impacts the care I provide as an ED nurse. If you are walking into the ED, chances are, it’s not your best day. People are often frightened, in pain or nervous about their loved ones. A familiar face can help. I’m thankful that because of my deep ties to the community, I can often be that familiar face and help calm my patients.

Like Luther Moses, farming is my passion. I own horses and cows on land next to my parents, who still live on the Moses homestead. My 5-year-old son, Luther, can already ride a horse on his own. He and my 2-year-old son, Charlie, love to help out on the farm and care for our animals. Our family loves to go horse camping in the Adirondacks, sometimes riding for more than 20 miles before settling down for the night.

I do not know what the future holds for my boys. But I hope they consider carrying on the work of our ancestors, working hard each day to give back to our little community.

Cheryl Meserve is a registered nurse at Elizabethtown Community Hospital in Ticonderoga, New York.