Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital Auxiliary held their 51st Annual General Meeting and reported that the Fiscal Year 2009/10 was another successful year resulting in a $330,000 donation to our hospital. In total, more than one million dollars has been donated over the last three years. These contributions go a long way to assist in the comfort and quality of care for the patients at JBMH. See photos gallery "Joseph Brant AGM".
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Georgian Bay General Hospital Volunteers
The cheque for $72,000.00 presented to the GBGH Foundation was the fourth installment of the GBGH Volunteer Association's five-year commitment to the Foundation's "Our Best Care Campaign". Left to Right is Liz Gaudet, Vice-President, Kathy Elsdon-Befort Past President of GBGH Foundarion and Gloria Waddell our President.
The Georgian Bay General Hospital Volunteer Association held their 2010 Annual General Meeting on Monday, May 31st, 2010 at the Georgian Manor Penetanguishene. Forty-seven volunteers were awarded service pins ranging from five years to 55 years. The pins were presented by guests, Bob Morton (GBGH Board Chair), Paul Heinrich, (CEO), Kathy Elsdon-Befort (Past President of GBGH Foundation) and Sharon Clark (HAAO, Central Region Chair).A tribute, as read by Irene West was offered to Barbara Simpson, who has volunteered at the hospital for over 50 years. Barbara and her husband, Don, are leaving the area to be close to family and the Best Wishes of the Volunteer Association and Georgian Bay General go with.
Georgian Bay General Hospital Volunteers Geranium Sale. Our area is busting with colour this summer thanks to thousands of geraniums sold by the Volunteers of Georgian Bay General Hospital. This year, we raised over $4,600.00 thanks again to the great support we received from the community and the hard work of our dedicated volunteers. Our members take orders in April, with snow still on the ground, and in May help with the unloading of all those plants that must then be sorted into individual orders. The pick-up locations were open for three days and our volunteers were still smiling.
Garage Sale with Rain Escort. Georgian Bay General Hospital Volunteers held their 20th annual Garage sale of community and volunteer items at the Penetanguishene site June 19th. Of course it rained. After the sale many items remained so a sequel was set for June 26th and it rained even harder. We then provided a rain escort to the delight of those without umbrellas. Over $1600.00 was raised and the shoppers got to know the bubbly personalities behind the smiles of the Volunteers. Drenched to the skin, we were still joking and smiling. Once again our thanks to the Community for the overwhelming number of items donated and the large amount purchased. To our volunteers for their contribution of time sorting, pricing and selling. Thank you never seems enough.
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Hats On for the Spring Victorian Afternoon Tea
The SVA held its annual Victorian Afternoon Tea on April 14, 2010 attended by a large gathering of enthusiastic volunteers all decked out for spring. A great way to kick off the season! See photos gallery "Vic Tea".
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Clinton Public Hospital Auxiliary held their Anniversary Volunteer Appreciation Tea. A stoppin' time was had by all. See photos gallery Clinton Public Hospital Auxiliary.
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SUNNYBROOK VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION INC.
The volunteers in Sunnybrook’s Mental Health unit are a remarkable group of people. They each provide a program in the unit that requires not only their particular skill, but also awareness, patience and a willingness to adapt to individual needs.
Brian Webster is the team leader for the Pet Therapy group at Sunnybrook and he and O’Reilly, his Portuguese Water Dog, visit the Mental Health unit every Tuesday afternoon for 30 minutes. When his father lived on K Wing, Brian would bring his previous dog Billy to visit and noticed how much pleasure it brought to the other residents, so he decided to volunteer when he retired. He contacted Therapeutic Paws of Canada who train dogs for Pet Therapy and began volunteering in the Veterans Wing five years ago. Three years ago he began bringing O’Reilly to the Mental Health unit. He sets out a water bowl and always has dog cookies if a patient would like to give O’Reilly a treat.
Brian also plays guitar and sings in the unit every second Friday. The impetus for this came after he went out west to help his sister-in-law who had a brain tumour. He took his guitar for his own pleasure but she asked him to bring it to the hospital when he was visiting. When he played, people gathered around and nurses brought in patients in wheelchairs to listen. One man in a wheelchair began singing and his nurse started crying. Afterwards, Brian learned the man had previously had a stroke and had not spoken since. Hearing the music, the man began singing and from there began talking again. So Brian began performing in the Veterans Wing and in the Mental Health unit. He believes in the positive effect music can have on people and loves it when people start to sing along. He admits that performing here has given him more confidence to play and sing in other locations. See photos gallery "Sunnybrook".
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Association of Volunteers, Women's College Hospital "Walk for Women's College Hospital".
On Sunday, May 16, a beautiful warm, sunny day, 20 members of the Association plus several friends and relatives, ‘walked the walk’ in Queen’s Park in Toronto. This was our first run at such an undertaking and judged by all present to be a successful fund-raiser. The walk is 1 km. but everyone did at least two laps.
As this is our 95th anniversary, registration was set at $95.00. Every participant was given a nametag and a bottle of water. Many walkers had already received a number of supporting pledges. Some turned in theirs at the park. Our gross profit exceeded $5.000. Expenses were minimal. Our banner, our biggest expense will be amortized over walks for many years to come.
Our participants ranged in age from 12 – 89. The 89’ers both walked, one completing 5 kms. The bird watchers had a field day, listing nine ‘lifers’.
Will we do it next year? You bet and for years to come!
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Auxiliary to The Cornwall General Hospital Dessert Bridge & Luncheon fund raiser. Note the pictures of our 91yr. old and our 84 yr old drying dishes. $2000.00 was raised towards our hospital's equipment fund. See photos gallery " Cornwal General Hospital".
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Lakeridge Health Bowmanville
A WHEELBARROW FULL OF GENEROSITY It all started with a request from Lakeridge Health Bowmanville staff for help from the Association to provide needy patients with toiletry articles. An ad was placed on Wilmot Creek’s (a local adult community) internal T.V. station and contacting people by e-mail. It wasn’t long before they had collected quite a large load of toiletries. Well done to all involved and the residents of Wilmot Creek. The staff and patients of the hospital, we are sure, are extremely appreciative. See photos in the photo gallery "Lakeridge Health".
MAPLEFEST - TREATS & TREASURES RAISES $566.37!!!!!!! This was truly an example of what can happen when a team of dedicated, enthusiastic and positive people work together on an idea to set up a table at Bowmanville's Maplefest - an annual spring main street festival. The Retail Manager and the Association's 1st Vice-President, organized a display of the items we carry in the "Treats and Treasures" gift and coffee shop. They quickly secured tables, tent, additional stock and more volunteers to help sell. It was truly amazing at how quickly all this was done. The tent, donated by the Fire Department, was set up early Saturday morning and the tables arranged with our merchandise. Unfortunately, at around 12:30, the heavens opened and everything, in spite of the tent, got soaked. However, that did not dampen our enthusiasm to try something similar at Apple Fest in the fall, hopefully without the rain. See photos in the photo gallery "Bowman's Maplefest".
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