It is the 29th year the Canmore Hospital Ladies Auxiliary has raised funds to support medical care in the community and with that in mind the hardworking group of ladies hopes to reach the $1 million mark for their efforts.
For the past three decades, the volunteer group has held a variety of fundraising events and raffles and president Renate Grob-Holtzherr said they have so far raised over $900,000 in that time for the purchase of equipment to help serve the community better
This year, Grob-Holtzherr said the auxiliary is starting off its fundraising with a special intimate concert with The Wardens on Jan. 16 and the goal is raise another $10,000 at that event.
“We are trying for our 30th year to reach $1 million in donations,” she said. “It creates excitement and creates enthusiasm to go out and do those fundraisers. You have to set a goal for everyone to keep them motivated.”
The upcoming concert not only features the locally popular group The Wardens, but also Marion Walsh and Cherry Balm, with a silent auction, appetizers, 50/50 draw and door prizes included in the $40 ticket.
Proceeds from the event will go to purchase two Synergy Air Elite specialty mattresses that will provide more comfort to cancer patients.
Canmore Hospital general manager Barb Shellian lauded the auxiliary’s support and dedication to supporting the hospital over the past 29 years.
“The reality is that we could not accomplish what we do without the support of the auxiliary and the commitment of the members,” she said. “You could look in any area of Canmore Hospital – long term care, emergency, obstetrics, pediatrics, operating room, palliative care, laboratory, kitchen – and find something that the auxiliary has purchased to enhance clinical care and provide for patient comfort.”
Shellian said as a result of the work the ladies do, the hospital and community have benefited from working with state of the art equipment and providing a level of service not readily available in other hospitals of a similar size.
“We have the assurance that if we need something – the auxiliary is there to support us and the work that we do – all for the common goal of safe, quality care,” she said. “No matter how big or how small our requests are for them – they work to meet their goals with enthusiasm and commitment. They really care about what they do and we are so grateful.”
Grob-Holtzherr said all funds raised through the work of the auxiliary are used to purchase equipment based on the needs of the hospital at the time.
“We have no money in the bank because we always spend it right away for the hospital,” she said. “For our small group of ladies, that is quite a success.”
The first item the group purchased was a rocking chair for $85. Now, it raises money for significant equipment purchases like a new operating table for $35,000 and an infant defibrillator for $45,000 as just two examples. They have purchased additional infant warmers to help support the hospital’s increased deliveries – with up to seven in a day. Grob-Holtzherr said without those warmers, mothers and new born babies would have to be transferred to Calgary.
“There is no reason for something like that – to send parents and a baby to Calgary,” she said. “They should be able to stay in our hospital and go home from there.”
The Ladies Auxiliary will be at Save-On-Foods this Saturday (Jan. 9) from noon to 6 p.m. to sell tickets to the concert. They can also be purchased at Café Books or can be purchased over the phone by contacting Terri Harrison at 403-678-7691.
It is an exciting event for the CHLA to host for the local community and Grob-Holtzherr said they hope to also attract some new members.
“We would like people to know we welcome new members and welcome the support of the community,” she said. “If they want to knit for us, do volunteer work, or if they offer certain services or ideas … we are always happy for new ideas.”
