Members of the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary presented the Prince Edward County Memorial Foundation with a cheque for $50, 0000 Tuesday morning.

Gathered at the Second Time Around Shop in Picton the volunteers beamed as the sun shone outside and community members filled the aisles of this completely volunteer-run thrift store. Though it is the beginning of a new season, this donation marks the end of the Foundation’s 2018/2019 fiscal year during which donations from the Auxiliary totalled $138, 179.46.

The Auxiliary has a longstanding tradition of volunteerism in the community having began in 1934 as an amalgamation of several women’s institutes. Many of the well-known functions of the Auxiliary, such as Meals On Wheels, the Coffee Shop (located in the Picton Clinic), Festival of Trees and the Second Time Around Shop are a cornerstone of Prince Edward County.

“The Auxiliary is happy to partner with the Foundation to help successfully complete last year’s equipment fund campaign. We were able to contribute $50,000 from the annual Festival of Trees towards the pediatric monitor and other equipment with the remaining coming from our ongoing fundraising initiatives including sales from the Second Time Around Shop. With the support of the community, our volunteers are pleased to raise funds that contribute to the health and wellbeing of our community,” said Pat Evans, president of the PECMH Auxiliary.

However, many may not know the importance of the fundraising efforts and donations made by this community institution. Apart from student awards and programs for seniors, the Auxiliary also helps to fund much needed equipment for the hospital. According to a recent press release by the PECMHF, among the equipment the Auxiliary helped purchase was a pediatric monitor used in the Hospital’s Emergency Department, a trauma stretcher, two ceiling lifts and eight over bed tables.

It’s hard to imagine what PECMH would be like without  community donations from dedicated organizations such as Auxiliary.

Though the province provides funding for operational cost  such as staff, medication and costs associated with the operation of the hospital capital medical equipment costs are the responsibility of the community.

Executive Director of the PECMH Foundation Shannon Coull stressed the significance of the Auxiliary’s  donation and the continual gift of time and effort given by the organization’s volunteers as being integral to purchasing the equipment hospital needs, and consequently, enabling our hospital to provide the great healthcare that our community deserves.

“The Foundation is really about you, the donors. Our job is to raise the needed funds so our care providers are best equipped to treat our patients. The Foundation plays a critical role in providing funding for essential, specialized equipment. Your dollars go a long way towards improving care for residents in our community,” said Coull. “Thank you to our Auxiliary and to our ongoing donors. New donors are always welcome and there are numerous ways to get involved. Every donation, no matter the size, makes a difference in the care you and your family receive.We are blessed living in this generous community which ensures we have a vibrant hospital armed with the best medical equipment possible.”

As the Auxiliary volunteers and PECMH Foundation members stood with a giant cheque hoisted in front of them, customers of the Second Time Around Shop perusing the goods in the background it’s clear the work is far from done.

With fundraising goals set for the next fiscal year and a long list of equipment needs,  the symbiotic relationship between the community and the hospital endures as one would not exist without the other.