The Auxiliary is happy to report another good year.  Our membership now stands at 305.  My goal was to get to 300, so I feel great that we met that challenge.  We appreciate all our active and inactive members.

On January 7^th, 2011 we held our Annual Meeting and brunch with installation of officers and new board members.  Judy Juhler, Helen Schmitz, and Marlene Sondergaard were the 2011 Honorary Members.  A donation was made to the hospital for $5,000.00.

On February 14^th we hosted the employee Valentine Tea and served 113 people.  Marge Ahrenholtz, Sharon Petersen, Bonnie Fiscus, and Myrna Poldberg worked this event.

We held two blood screening sessions this year.  The spring session still seems to be the popular one.  We had 13 screening dates and used 428 volunteer hours while there were 8 screenings at the Wellness Center and three other sites in the fall.  In total our girls spent 730 hours on this project.

Our bakeless bake sale was in April and we took in $1,543.00.

Our benefit, Spring Fling, was a Staley’s Broasted Chicken dinner held at the Rosman Parish Center on April 11^th.  From this we made $1,533.16.  This was something new—we wanted to see how this would work.

POP tours (pediatric orientation program) were held May 9^th to 12^th.  The children didn’t get to visit the PT area at the Wellness Center this year.  We’re hoping to find a way to get them safely across Chatburn Avenue next time, as we know that would be exciting for them.

Since education is so important to the Auxiliary, we gave 5 scholarships for $800 each.  This next year, we will be giving another $800 one in memory of Donnafae Hibray.

In June we began our payroll deduction program.  It is just amazing how much this was used, as $4,075.56 was spent this way and that was a great help.

Our bazaar “Let Freedom Ring” was held on September 22^nd.  This was chaired by Allyson Bendorf and netted $6,893.87.  It was truly great again this year.

Our Holiday Open House was held on September 25^th and 26^th.  This was early because of the gift shop’s closing for the remodel.  We had a great sale and cleared $4,317.08.  Many thanks to MMC’s employees for being such good buyers.

The Tree of Lights ceremony was held on December 4^th at the Petersen Family Wellness Center.  Ethel Defenbaugh and Michelle Mores chaired this year.  A crystal snowflake tree ornament was sold.  We sold 115 and profited $976.30.  Thanks to the Wellness Center for the use of that facility.

In addition to the above activities, we provide escort services to radiology and help with patient services.

We have five swing bed volunteers that provide caring conversation and help with whatever their needs.  We visit twice a week.

The Pediatric Gifts Committee sends each child 12 and under home with a stuffed animal and the Newborn Stocking Hat Committee sees that each new baby goes home with a stocking hat and also a sleep sack.

Look Good/Feel Better provides cancer patients with wigs and helps them with their make-up.  We all know that if you look good, you feel better.

Our Gift Shop provides the bulk of the money we donate to the hospital.  Kris McCarthy and Sharon Oman do a great job of buying and displaying merchandise.

Besides the $4,000.00 given for scholarships, here’s what we did with the money we made:

• 1 portable monitor for ER
• 1 newborn oximeter for OB
• 1 patient transfer board for Radiology
• Lead apron for Radiology
• Portable vital sign monitor for Med/Surg
• BiliCheck system for OB
• Sleep sacks for all new babies born at MMC

A total of $15,000 was given to the hospital again this year.  We are dealing with the remodel as best we can.  We have worked hard for the hospital and clinic and will continue to do so.  This year’s President is Ethel Defenbaugh.

~~Pat Thomsen, President

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