We've had another busy and productive month at the Fairfield Harbour Hospital Auxiliary! We started April with our semi-annual Bake Sale that coincides with the Community Yard Sale. Our breakfast quiches and casseroles were a big hit, along with all the homemade sweetest of baked goods, but the HUGE winner of the morning was our fresh-from-the-oven delicious cinnamon rolls made and served by Jenny Nebe!
The bake sale did well, along with our 50/50 raffle, especially for Gia Holiway, who won $65.00! Mary Lou Infinito had a great idea to have our booth at the yard sale, where auxiliary members donated household goods and decor to sell. She and her team did a fantastic job, which allowed the Auxiliary to purchase materials we needed to knit, crochet, and sew blankets, baby hats, lap robes, surgery pillows, etc., for patients at Carolina East.
During our March meeting, Shaellen Thompson, the manager of Volunteer Services for Carolina East, shared an example of catheter privacy bags for patients. The Rehab hospital staff had requested these from the auxiliary because many of their patients are more active in their rehabilitation treatment. The privacy bags allow them comfort and modesty while wearing their catheter bags during treatment in the physical therapy department. A pattern was quickly created, and our sewers made these bags for the Rehab patients. Shaellen also shared a note of thanks from Beth Young, who works at the Carolina East Rehabilitation Hospital, thanking the auxiliary for the catheter bags and saying what a blessing these are for her patients.
Ruth Blackwell and Holly Woodcock also shared that they have been working on making beautiful baby hats with their knitting machines. Ruth mentioned that she could assemble two hats per hour while knitting one by hand takes about five hours. This has tremendous potential when our volunteer knitters make baby hats for the auxiliary's December event. We provide baby blankets and hat sets to every baby born in the hospital during December!
Left to right: Shaellen Thompson shows an example of a catheter privacy bag. Shaellen shared notes of thanks from a cancer patient for her knit beanie and from the Rehab hospital for thanking the auxiliary for the privacy catheter bags.
Left to right: The baby hats on the right were made with the knitting machine. Ruth Blackwell showed one of the baby hats she made with her knitting machine.
Finally, we want to mention that it's not all work for the auxiliary members, as we all like to socialize and have fun. Members enjoy time together at the potluck dinner. Thank you for organizing the event Joyce Stull, with support from Holly Woodcock, Cindy Scalion, Cheryl Hard, and Ruthann Hendel. Our special guests were Myra Hall, the manager of the Camellia Boutique Hospital Giftshop; Shaellen Thompson, the Manager of Volunteer Services; and Leslie Pittman, the Director of Volunteer Services and Patient Relations. Everyone enjoyed the delicious food, great prizes, and fantastic company.
Our Auxiliary Secretary, Sue Bischoff, won the 50/50 raffle, which she generously donated to our hospital funds. It was a great night with fun had by all!
The FFH Hospital Auxiliary meets on the third Monday of almost every month at the Community Center from 9:30 to 10:30. The auxiliary does not hold meetings during the summer months of July and August. It's a great way to meet new friends and become involved in our community by helping Carolina East Medical Center.
Please join us and see what we're all about. For membership information, you may contact our Chairperson, Ruth Blackwell, or Darlene Madorma, Membership Chair.