The Auxiliary to the Kitimat General Hospital and Health Centre
Welcome to The Auxiliary to the Kitimat General Hospital & Health Centre.
This non-profit society is comprised of volunteers who are committed to adding to and improving the comfort and care of patients in the hospital and residents in multi-level care by fundraising for equipment purchases and by service in both the hospital and multi-level care.
Although the Auxiliary engages in a variety of fundraisers throughout the year, one of their permanent fundraisers is the Auxiliary Gift Shop (conveniently located in the hospital lobby). This small non-profit business sells a varied and lovely array of items for all age groups and is open five days a week. It is run entirely by volunteers, with profits going toward hospital equipment, comfort items for patients and residents and (if funds allow) an Auxiliary Scholarship presented to a student wishing to pursue a career in a health field.
Next time you’re in the hospital, be sure to stop by the Auxiliary Gift Shop and say hello.
Meet The Auxiliary to the Kitimat General Hospital & Health Centre
Meet The Auxiliary to the Kitimat General Hospital & Health Centre
The relationship between the Auxiliary and the hospital began in 1958 when the first Kitimat General Hospital was being constructed. The Auxiliary’s immediate priority was to establish regular ongoing dialogue between the hospital and the society to identify equipment needs and to begin fundraising. The hospital had its grand opening in 1960 by which time the Auxiliary was well organized and had sufficient volunteers to also offer various in-house services in the hospital as well as continuing to fundraise for equipment.
With the opening of the present day general hospital & health centre in 2002, the Auxiliary relocated and were delighted to have a space allocated to them for a gift shop in the lobby of the new facility. Flash forward from 1958 to the present, and the relationship between the Auxiliary and the Kitimat Hospital is still going strong.
All members of the Kitimat Auxiliary are volunteers. The society’s only income comes from their various fundraising endeavors and donations from the community. Fund raised monies go toward equipment purchases and projects throughout the hospital facility which will add to the comfort and care of those in the Kitimat Hospital and multi-level care.
In-house services in the hospital and multi-level care (Mountainview Lodge) include the Auxiliary Gift Shop in the hospital lobby, the T.V. Service in acute care, and for the residents of the lodge, the Auxiliary volunteers host weekly afternoon bingo, operate a hair salon for the residents, help with coffee service and assist with outings, special occasions and activities including afternoon and evening events arranged by the staff at the lodge.
Each Auxiliary volunteer brings with them the gift of time, empathy, laughter and conversation.
This is a society that listens, is open to feedback and has accepted and adapted to change over the years, but the “purposes” of the Auxiliary “to add to the comfort and care of patients in the hospital and residents in multi-level care” has never changed or wavered.
