Tom Henihan
Express Staff
The Society of the Sacred Heart Ladies Auxiliary is a venerable organization that has served the physicians, medical staff, and patients at the McLennan Hospital for eighty-six years.
The Ladies Auxiliary offers assistance from acquiring medical equipment for the hospital to anticipating and taking care of the needs of patients, even such thoughtful gestures as placing tokens on patients’ trays on special holidays and occasions such as Valentine’s Day.
“We have been present in the hospita and continually fundraising for additional medical equipment since the 1930’s,” says Kim Lussier.
“This helps to keep the patients from this community in the community, instead of having to travel long distances to have medical procedures.”
Recently, the Ladies Auxiliary held its casino in Grande Prairie, which is the society’s primary source of funding and happens every three years.
In this instance, the casino was quite a large undertaking with 28 volunteer positions, 14 per day over the two-day period. Some volunteers did double shifts in order to fill the 28 positions required.
The process used to choose an acquisition is that the departments in the hospital make a list, which the society then reviews.
“The staff make requests that they think would benefit the hospital and the patients and from there we can decide if we need to do additional fundraising,” says Lussier. “The next wish list review is in April.”
The society’s most recent procurement was 21 new televisions and a few spares for the patients’ rooms, replacing outmoded sets with up-to-date units.
Those acquisitions cost in excess of $21,000 along with the purchase of five articulated holding arms that needed replacement.
There are approximately 12 members in the Society with others offering their assistance when needed.
The Society of the Sacred Heart Ladies Auxiliary holds its meeting in the hospital boardroom at 7p.m. on the fourth Monday of the month, excluding holidays.
The meetings are open to anyone who is interested in knowing what the society does.
“Anyone who wishes to join is welcome,” says Lussier. “If people want to come and see what we do and want to help in making it a better experience for patients in our hospital, they are welcome to come and see how they can help.”