NEWS
HAAO CELEBRATING 100 YEARS!
Hospital Auxiliaries Association of Ontario Centennial - 1910- 2010
HAAO members volunteered over 4 million hours and raised 50 million dollars for their healthcare facilities last year. One hundred years is a long time in the life of any organization, and ours is no exception. It represents decades of change and adaptation to the requirements of its members. HAAO has always tried to respond to the issues and needs of its Auxiliary/Association members by being the catalyst of change itself. Through strategic planning, continued education, communication via the Volunteer and web site, and financial assistance to attend conferences and conventions, HAAO has put our members at the forefront of all our strategic planning. To mark this momentous occasion and celebrate the contribution of the Hospital Auxiliaries Association of Ontario, HAAO Auxiliaries/Associations will be organizing a series of special centenary activities throughout 2010. Be sure to watch your local papers for an event near you. Here are just a few ideas to get you started thinking about the Centennial Celebrations.
1) a vinyl sign that can be placed on glass window with a decorative pattern (like the HAAO logo) like etched glass. This could be placed on the main door windows of a hospital.
2) check with your local business group to have the HAAO logo added to the signage that is placed at the city limits (checking into that with Public Works).
3) hold your Auxiliary/Association General Meeting on Feb 16th. This is the official date of HAAO becoming a provincial organization so the theme will be the 100th.
4) approach the newspapers and community papers and the Mayor to put in some acknowledgement i.e. Congratulations to HAAO on it's 100th Anniversary of supporting Health Care Volunteers.
5) invite the red hat ladies in to tour your long term care facility and have a Valentine Tea
6) honour some of your auxilians or someone who has organized a major event- dress in centennial dress
Please submit any additional ideas that you have to share with our Auxiliary/Association members in helping to make this a year of celebrations.
*************************
Kingston General Hospital
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade for cancer research
9 year old Taylor Vandermeulen of the Brighton area wanted to do something special for her neighbour who was battling cancer. She had always wanted to do a lemonade stand so she recruited some friends to help her raise money for cancer research.
“I decided to do it because of Shirley, who was a neighbour and good friend of my grandparents,” explains Taylor. “She was a very nice lady so I wanted to raise money that could help find a cure for cancer.”
Taylor’s parents Andrew and Jennifer operate a dairy farm and hold a public auction sale every summer that attracts hundreds of farmers from across the province. Taylor saw this as the perfect opportunity to set up shop.
When a local M&M Meat store heard about the idea, it donated all the lemonade and even funded some unique t-shirts for Taylor and her friends. A perfect July weekend and a lot of thirsty farmers allowed the then 8 year old entrepreneur to collect $260.
“I didn’t expect to make that much money,” says Taylor. “I thought maybe $100 so I was very surprised.”
Shirley Nelson had been in and out of Kingston General Hospital where she was undergoing cancer treatments but she was able to visit the lemonade stand last summer.
Over the holidays in December, the Vandermeulen family made the trip to KGH to visit Shirley. They brought along the lemonade proceeds but didn’t know who to give it to.
“We stopped at the Help Desk and asked one of the volunteers and he graciously led us to the Auxiliary office,” explains Taylor’s mother Jennifer. “When we walked in and Taylor explained to the woman behind the counter how she had raised money for cancer research, the woman came out and gave Taylor a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. It was very touching.”
The Kingston General Hospital Auxiliary directed the money to the KGH Foundation which has since forwarded it to the cancer centre. The donation is in Taylor’s name and in Shirley Nelson’s memory. Shirley passed away in January. Visit Photo Gallery "Lemonade".
********************************
South Bruce Grey Health Centre Chesley Hospital Auxiliary
The SBGHC Chesley Hospital Auxiliary have worked on a couple of projects recently. Late in February, on a snowy day during the Olympics, 8 of our auxiliary volunteers met at the farmhouse home of one of our members, Elizabeth Maxwell and made 13 knotted fleece toddlers' quilts. Elizabeth prepared the fabric for us and then early in the morning we pinned, cut, and tied each quilt. We had many laughs, a wonderful shared lunch and urged the Canadian Ladies' curling team on to victory during breaks. The quilts have been a popular item in our gift shop. Since last winter, we have made 50 of them.
Also, last week, February 25, our Hospital Auxiliary held our meeting in the Hospital Boardroom. Before the business meeting we celebrated the 100th Birthday of HAAO with a lovely cake, coffee and tea. We invited our deputy mayor, Mary Cumming to attend and she brought greetings from our local council. A reporter from the area newspaper attended and took many photos. I imagine there will be a writeup in the Hanover paper later this week. We had a great turnout for the meeting (about 28 ladies) who all enjoy working in our small but mighty giftshop.
During the meeting our Auxiliary voted to donate $8000.00 to our Hospital to purchase some new wall mounted flat screen television sets which will be easy to use for our patients.
We will continue to celebrate the 100th Birthday at our Annual meeting in April and again in October when we have a Soup and Sandwich luncheon in our community. See Photo Gallary " SBGHC Projects 1,2,3 & 4".
*********************************
Pembroke Regional Hospital Auxiliary. Current and past-presidents of the Pembroke Regional Hospital Auxiliary recently gathered to discuss the group's 50th anniversary set to take place in June 2010. In the photo from left are, Dorothy Devine, past- president, Lorna Lapointe, past-president, Anne Sloan, current president, Doreen Skorenky, past-president, Eleanor Boire, auxiliary historian, Carmel Harrington, past-president and Mary Olsheski, current first vice-president and 50th anniversary convener. See Photo Gallary " Pembroke's 50th Anniversary."
*************************
Kingston General Hospital Auxiliary.
From the proceeds of HELPP ticket sales over the past year, KGH Auxiliary purchased 50 much needed wheelchairs. At a ribbon cutting ceremony held in the main lobby, KGH President and CEO Leslee Thompson, KGH Auxiliary President Sandra Fletcher and representatives from Portering and Transportation Services cheerfully cut a ribbon to ‘introduce’ the new stock. 50 wheelchairs - 50 cents a time. Go to our Photo Gallery titled Wheelchairs for pictures.
*************************
Haliburton Highlands Health Services Auxiliary, Haliburton Site had their Geranium Sales 2009. A total of 719 plants were sold last year with a net profit of $928.38 - a 20% increase over last year. The exceptionally beautiful geraniums were supplied at cost by the Eagle Lake Country Market. Unfortunately distribution coincided with the arrival of black flies in biblical numbers. Ellenor, John and Judy are pictured, ready to distribute the flowers. Flaunting her immunity to the black flies, Ellenor stands ready, while John and Judy cower in their protective gear. Go to our Photo Gallery titled Geraniuim for pictures.
*************************
Association of Volunteers, Women’s' College Hospital. In an effort to 'spice up' the December Holiday Bake and Craft Sale at Women’s' College Hospital, an International Table was introduced. The result was heart-warming, tummy-pleasing and financially successful with Russian, Icelandic, Norwegian, Italian, French, Scottish, Irish, British, Mexican, Chinese, Ukrainian and Egyptian culinary representation, everything from Baklava to Cannelloni. There was a special table for all these wonderful international delicacies, most of them labeled with their country of origin. There was a lot of interest and a lot of buying, which of course was the whole idea!
*************************
Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary held their annual Festival of Trees towards the end of 2009. In one of the pictures you can see Joyce Minaker (Chair of Festival of Trees) accepting a generous donation from manager of Tim Horton's (Picton). Take a peek at our Photo Gallery titled Festival of Trees for these exquisite trees.
*************************
Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary celebrated their 75th Anniversary in June 2009 by wearing wonderful hats. Sensational!! View our Photo Gallery titled Anniversary Tea for a glimpse of these creative bonnets.
*************************
Timmins & District Hospital Auxiliary donated $90,000 to the ophthalmology department at Timmins and District Hospital. This equipment will allow surgeries to be done locally instead of patients travelling to Toronto, Ottawa, London and Kingston. Monies were raised through the Gift Shop, tuck wagon, used book sales, bake sales, Raffle and Christmas bazaar. Since 1996, the auxiliary has raised more than $900,000.00. In front, from left are auxiliary members Ann Rudd-Robins, President, Agnes Nadon, Vice President, Mary Jordan, Treasurer and Erika Petersen-Leone, Secretary, as well as ophthalmologist Alejandro Oliver. Behind them are foundation members, Gabe Prevost, Allan Kean, Chairman of the TDH Hospital Board of Directors and Dave McGirr. View the Photo Gallery titled Eye Surgery donor Focus for the group photo.
LAKERIDGE HEALTH WHITBY (LHW) On July 3, 2007 the LHW site experienced an electrical fire. All patients and staff were quickly and safely evacuated. Complex Continuing Care patients, Nephrology, Positive Care, Day Hospital and Falls Clinic patients are currently being cared for at alternate, temporary accommodations at Lakeridge Health Oshawa and Bowmanville as well as at the Scarborough site of the Rouge Valley Health System (RVHS) LHB is currently caring for some LHW patients in 36 beds on two overcrowded and less than ideal units. Additional LHW patients are being cared for in a 21 bed satellite unit at RVHS Centenary site (Scarborough). All outpatient clinics (Kidney Care Clinic, Positive Care Clinic, Day Hospital and some Dialysis services) are being temporarily housed in less than ideal conditions at LHO. These temporary clinic locations were operational only days after the fire Following an extensive, independent review of LHW it was concluded that the site required upgrades to the sprinkler system and other fire safety components within the building prior to any re-occupancy of patients and staff. The cost for this work was been estimated at $2.5 million and the estimated time at 12 months. After months of negotiations, approval was given by the Minister of Health in September, 2009 for the funding required to bring the hospital up to “code”. Further funding was approved to maintain and improve the site, giving it an estimated ten more years of viability. The tendering process is underway, but no work has commenced to date. The effect on our volunteers has been tremendous. Yet. . . none has given up hope! We have had two well-attended teas, three very successful Bake sales, two Theatre Nights that were a huge success and one lovely Spaghetti Dinner. We had planned another, but because of a fire in the building we were going to hold it in, it had to be cancelled (but that is another story!) Whitby Volunteers look forward to re-entering our own hospital building in the fall of 2010.
*************************
HUNTSVILLE HOSPITAL AUXILIARY A group of 16 volunteers spent two days in December wrapping gifts at the local mall. Paper and ribbon were supplied by the Huntsville Place Mall. This proved to be an enjoyable and profitable time, as we were pleased to receive $270 in tips besides selling some knitting and scrubbies from our Gift Shop. Take a look in the Photo Gallery titled Wrapping Gifts for a picture.
*************************
Huronia District Hospital Volunteers will remember 2009 as the year of change and excitement. The Association began as the St. Andrews Hospital Auxiliary in 1906 and was changed when the new hospital in Midland opened in 1976. 2009 saw the joining of the Huronia District Hospital Volunteer Association and the Penetanguishene General Hospital Auxiliary following the final integration of our two hospitals; HDH in Midland and PGH in Penetanguishene. This brought together a total of 230 Volunteers under the HDHVA umbrella. In December, after a four month process and a month-long public vote, the name “Georgian Bay General Hospital” was chosen by the community as the new name for the hospital which will have sites in Midland and Penetanguishene . As we say farewell to the HDH Volunteer Association moniker, our Volunteers are looking forward to the years ahead as the "Georgian Bay General Hospital Volunteer Association". As part of our new image, redesigned uniforms featuring the new name and the new hospital logo are being introduced. See photo gallery for picture titled New Image.
*************************
SUNNYBROOK VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION INC. Caring Student Chapel Escorts Are Appreciated by Our Veterans
Did you know that we have chapel escorts at Sunnybrook? They are a group of young high school and university students volunteering in the Veterans Wing every Sunday morning assisting veterans who wish to attend either the interdenominational service in the hospital chapel at 10:00 AM or the Roman Catholic service held off Warriors Hall at 11:00 AM.
There are some adult members from nearby churches who come in rotation to assist but it is the students who give their time every Sunday morning between 9:00 AM and noon. Their initial motivation may be to earn their community service credits needed for high school graduation, but since our program requires a longer commitment, the students who participate continue long after they have completed their required forty hours. Many return for future programs. This season there are twelve chapel escorts and seven are returning students. Chadwick and Eric Poon are team leaders who are returning for their fourth and fifth season.
The students arrive before 9:00 AM and are given the list of veterans who wish to attend church. Eric, a team leader, who is at U of T studying nutrition and human biology, matches the students with the veterans they will wheel to church. The idea is to keep the same student with the same veteran if possible. As I accompany Sifat, who is a student in Grade 9, I am aware of how respectful he is. If a veteran’s door is closed he checks with the nurse before entering. He is patient and caring of those he takes to church. The veterans for their part seem happy to see the students. Some thank them for what they do and ask them how they are; some are silent. I was told of one veteran who likes to pretend his wheelchair is a car, he makes “beep beep” sounds as they wind their way through the halls. Each student makes several trips to wheel veterans to church. Hareem, who volunteers to take veterans to the Roman Catholic service, likes working in hospitals. She finds the veterans very friendly and caring. Students may choose to stay for the service or not, however, one student will always remain in case someone needs to leave the chapel before the service is finished.
I asked the students why they chose to be chapel escorts and was told that, apart from fulfilling requirements for school, they liked coming out on a Sunday morning. They enjoy having something to do and doing it independently. As chapel escorts the students provide a valuable service that allows them to have a connection with previous generations. I think the students are aware of this link and the veterans let them know they appreciate their presence. See photo gallery for picture titled Chapel Escorts.
*************************
*************************