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Chemainus Health Care Auxiliary celebrates 125 years

Chemainus Health Care Auxiliary presents cheque for $125,000

The Chemainus Health Care Auxiliary didn't let the poor weather rain on their parade when celebrating 125 years of making a difference in the community.

"It's such a terrific feeling to be celebrating this milestone," said CHCA committee chair Susan Beaubier. "Sometimes we just pinch ourselves and realize it's quite the achievement to keep a group of volunteers together, and do what we do, while still producing the funds. It's really special, we also give three $5,000 bursaries to high school students going into the human health field each year."

It was a full day of festivities on Sept. 25 that started at the Auxiliary's Thrift Shop located at the corner of Oak and Maple streets in Chemainus. The afternoon consisted of live music at 1 p.m. followed by free horse and carriage rides courtesy of Kelly Argue from the shop to Waterwheel Park where the celebrations concluded with speeches, a cheque presentation of $125,000 to the Cowichan District Hospital Foundation and a community cake cutting in front of the museum.

In 1899 during a typhoid epidemic, 23 ladies of Chemainus first got together to form a Women's Auxiliary, which was the start of what is one of the oldest auxiliaries on Vancouver Island. They raised $767.68 when the first 10 bed hospital opened on May 5, 1900, which at that time went towards furnishing the entire hospital. Over the years the CHCA has donated goods where they can, and have raised nearly $5.3 million in just donations alone, where funds have gone to the BC Childrens Hospital, the Cowichan Hospice House, and to long term care at the Chemainus Health Care Centre to name a few. Beaubier, who has been a volunteer for 23 years and finds it extremely rewarding, said the CHCA aims to support comfort and care for Chemainus Valley residents who are in the hospital and other medical facilities.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer with the CHCA, applications are available at the Thrift Shop or call 250-246-2476 for more information.

"We are proud of ourselves," said Beaubier. "We have a good time, but we all have that mission to really make a difference. Over the last 25 years donations have added up to the amount of nearly $5.3 million, and for a little community that is pretty special, we also work with some wonderful community partners, so it all provides a really good community feeling."