The Heritage Corner, Springhill Record
February 21, 2007
Feb. 21, 2007 – All Saints’ Hospital Ladies Auxiliary
The Cottage Hospital Ladies’ Auxiliary was organized in 1893 and the Executive Members consisted of five ladies from the All Saints’ Church congregation and one member of each other religious organization having a resident minister in town. The ladies of the auxiliary were to pay one dollar a year to the support of the hospital and have an interest in its needs.
The Cottage Hospital Ladies’ Auxiliary did hospital sewing and mending, raised funds, made hospital visitations, made bandages and each Thanksgiving Day held a Donation Day. When the ladies of the town made jams, jellies or pickles a few bottles were set aside for donation day and these preserves were used for the patients. The Ladies’ Auxiliary also inspected the hospital’s household twice a week.
Then in October 1936, three Sisters of the Order of St. John the Divine came from Toronto to take charge of the Hospital. 26 members of the church were called to a meeting by the Superintendent, Sister Ann, and organized the All Saints Hospital Auxiliary. The first officers of the Auxiliary were: President – Frances Newman; First Vice-President - Mrs. H.L. Simpson; Second Vice-President – Mrs. William Carrigan; Secretary-Treasurer - Mrs. J.H. Conway and Convener of Sewing Committee – Mrs. J.R. Millar.
In the first two months the Sewing Committee made: 72 baby barrows, 20 baby nighties, 130 pillow cases, 6 operation sheets, 36 dresser scarves, 39 squares, 36 hospital sheets, 4 binders, 36 sterile tray covers, 68 towels, 47 nighties and three whole days doing hospital mending. This shows how much enthusiasm and dedication these ladies of the Sewing Committee had. The Sewing Committee lasted until 1988 when it was taken over by professional.
Here is a sampling of the things the All Saints’ Hospital Auxiliary did over the years: hospital sewing and mending, held socials and graduation dances for its nurses, bought capital equipment for the hospital, nursing school and its residence, furnishing memorial rooms and wards, landscaping the hospital grounds, working at Well Babies and Well Women’s Clinics, holding Florence Nightingale Day, Tag Days, having poster and essay contest at the schools, Donation Days, etc.
Some of the ways they raised funds for their projects were ( and still are): holding teas and banquets, jamborees and food sales, dances and musical concerts, holding raffles, rummage sales, yard sales, penny funds and dues, card parties, memory book donations, saving labels and stamps, etc. In 1956 they started the All Saints’ Hospital Memorial Fund which has been a big boost to their fund raising endeavors. From their time of inception in June 1936 until June 1989 the Auxiliary had raised $325,435.53.
Another way the Auxiliary raises money is with the Hospital Gift Shop which was opened after the expansion of the hospital in the 1970’s.
Some of the things the Hospital Auxiliary have raised money for over the last number of years have been a hi-lo platform and an ultra sound machine for the Physiotherapy Dept.
In 2001 they raised $17,000 for a cardiac monitor for the emergency dept, sum of $39,990.50 was bequeathed to the Auxiliary and this along with a cheque for $2000 was given to the hospital for a palliative care room at All Saints’ Springhill Hospital and another $4000 was donated towards the purchase for the household items for the Activities for Daily Living suite (ADL).
In 2003 the Auxiliary presented the All Saints’ Community Health Care Foundation with a cheque for $5,680 for the Hospital.
The All Saints Hospital Auxiliary continues to this day to raise funds and make donations to the All Saints Hospital.
