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Hospital Auxiliary taking the summer off

The Lake Auxiliary to the Cowichan District Hospital has had a busy season, as discussed during the group’s Thursday, June 2, meeting.
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Lake Auxiliary member Carol LaForge tags a donor to the Cowichan District Hospital

Lorraine Lloyd

Hospital Auxiliary

The Lake Auxiliary to the Cowichan District Hospital has had a busy season, as discussed during the group’s Thursday, June 2, meeting.

The group’s 22 members met with the co-ordinator of Volunteer Resources, Jane Balfour, at the Shaker Mill.

The regular business of the group was covered quickly with the installation of Noreen Mruk as treasurer by Judi Borne.

President Joan Hieta thanked Vivian Dams for her hard work as treasurer over the last few years, and presented her with a lovely bouquet of flowers.

Of course, with summer looming, it was time to once again discuss the group’s Autumn activities and set in motion the need to get a license for the December 2011 raffle and identify the prizes.

With members’ generosity, these activities were dealt with efficiently. Joan then asked Balfour to talk about various aspects of her job and of volunteering within the auxiliary framework.

Balfour informed the membership that in 2010 there were over 14,000 volunteer hours in Cowichan District Hospital area, which stretches from Shawnigan Lake to Chemainus.

Other points of interest in Jane's talk where a couple of new programs at the hospital. One was the new volunteer maternity clinic for those women who don't have easy access to their doctors. This was the idea of Dr. Maggie Watts.

The second new program is the Island Medical Program, whereby new doctors from the University of British Columbia School of Medicine are doing their residency at Cowichan District Hospital.

A new classroom is being built to accommodate this endeavour.

In May, the group kept busy with Tag Day on the first Friday, whereby members raised over $700 through donations from the generous residents of Lake Cowichan.

At the May meeting, members enjoyed a very informative presentation by Betty Anne Adelborg and Barbara Ketch, who are members of the Duncan Auxiliary and are very involved with HATS (Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shop), which is located on Station Street in Duncan.

Three Auxiliaries, Duncan, Lake Cowichan, and Lake Bay Hill, work at HATS, and donations made to the hospital include all three groups.

The Thrift Shop has been a very successful venture so far.

2009 was its first year of operation, and sales reached $83,720.00; 2010 realized $142,665.00 in sales, and so far in 2011 sales are up 27 per cent.

Expenses for the operation are approximately $5,000.00.

Last year, $40,000 was donated in equipment to the hospital and Cairnsmore Place.

The management for HATS are always looking for volunteers from within the three auxiliaries.

Volunteer duties include cashiers, washing items in the kitchen, sorting, dusting, vacuuming, washing clothes, ironing, pricing and sorting clothes.

There are two managers and two assistants each day at the store.

Throughout this year, Auxiliary members have volunteered at Flu Clinics and  the Mammography Clinic in Lake Cowichan.

The members are very grateful for the generosity of Lake Cowichan residents and merchants who support them in the various areas of fund-raising and volunteering that they are involved.

This support equates to a direct donation to the hospital.