Auxiliary celebrates 160th Anniversary
The St. Catharines Hospital Auxiliary will celebrate their 160th anniversary this spring, and we hope you will join in their festivities.
Their remarkable story began in 1865 when local physician Dr. Theophilus Mack identified the need for a hospital in St. Catharines after the newly built Welland Canal brought an influx of sailors and workers to the city. After his attempts to receive government funding were unsuccessful, Dr. Mack turned to the community for help, which marked the beginning of the St. Catharines Hospital Auxiliary – the first in Canada.
“The first hospital in St. Catharines was just a house on Cherry Street,” explains today’s Second Vice President Susan Hazell. “A group of remarkable women got together to source some very basic things – food, blankets, beds. At the time, the hospital didn’t have any nurses, so the auxiliary’s work was not just fundraising, they were also involved in the caregiving.”
In June 1865, the local newspaper reported on a “Mammoth Fair” in the Town Hall, put on by the ‘Ladies Aid’ as they were initially called, which raised $900 for the new hospital. Today, this would be equivalent to more than $15,000. It is a testament to the passion and dedication this group of women had for local healthcare and the same rings true for our auxiliary today.
“We have people who have been volunteers with us for more than 50 years,” explains Noreen Dillon, President of the St. Catharines Hospital Auxiliary, adding that their fundraising efforts are 100 percent volunteer-run. Over the course of their 160 years, the Auxiliary has raised millions of dollars in support of the St. Catharines hospital. “We operate the gift shop at the hospital, but we also put on raffles, 50/50 draws, hold jewellery and collectible sales, and raise funds through Delta Bingo.”
To celebrate this milestone anniversary, the group is planning a special celebration as part of their Annual General Meeting in May. “Stay tuned for the details,” says Hazell. “We are inspired by those early days and plan to put on a Bazaar, just as that very first group of women did, 160 years ago.”
Keep an eye on Foundation social media channels over the next few weeks as we share more details about this wonderful celebration.
Auxiliary celebrates 160th Anniversary
The St. Catharines Hospital Auxiliary will celebrate their 160th anniversary this spring, and we hope you will join in their festivities.
Their remarkable story began in 1865 when local physician Dr. Theophilus Mack identified the need for a hospital in St. Catharines after the newly built Welland Canal brought an influx of sailors and workers to the city. After his attempts to receive government funding were unsuccessful, Dr. Mack turned to the community for help, which marked the beginning of the St. Catharines Hospital Auxiliary – the first in Canada.
“The first hospital in St. Catharines was just a house on Cherry Street,” explains today’s Second Vice President Susan Hazell. “A group of remarkable women got together to source some very basic things – food, blankets, beds. At the time, the hospital didn’t have any nurses, so the auxiliary’s work was not just fundraising, they were also involved in the caregiving.”
In June 1865, the local newspaper reported on a “Mammoth Fair” in the Town Hall, put on by the ‘Ladies Aid’ as they were initially called, which raised $900 for the new hospital. Today, this would be equivalent to more than $15,000. It is a testament to the passion and dedication this group of women had for local healthcare and the same rings true for our auxiliary today.
“We have people who have been volunteers with us for more than 50 years,” explains Noreen Dillon, President of the St. Catharines Hospital Auxiliary, adding that their fundraising efforts are 100 percent volunteer-run. Over the course of their 160 years, the Auxiliary has raised millions of dollars in support of the St. Catharines hospital. “We operate the gift shop at the hospital, but we also put on raffles, 50/50 draws, hold jewellery and collectible sales, and raise funds through Delta Bingo.”
To celebrate this milestone anniversary, the group is planning a special celebration as part of their Annual General Meeting in May. “Stay tuned for the details,” says Hazell. “We are inspired by those early days and plan to put on a Bazaar, just as that very first group of women did, 160 years ago.”
Keep an eye on Foundation social media channels over the next few weeks as we share more details about this wonderful celebration.
