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Trail auxiliary helps brighten hospital with flowers

The Trail Hospital Auxiliary formed in 1943
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The Trail Hospital Auxiliary has donated $500 to provide the flowers for the entrance at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital (KBRH).

The KBRH Garden Project ensures that the hospital grounds are warm and welcoming to patients and their loved ones. Anita Fricke, auxiliary volunteer, presented the donation for these bright and colourful flowers on behalf of the Trail Hospital Auxiliary volunteers.

About the Trail Hospital Auxiliary

The Trail hospital has benefited a million-plus ways since the red vested-volunteers of the hospital auxiliary began lending a hand and raising dollars through feel-better gifts 75 years ago.

Since 1988 alone, the Trail Hospital Auxiliary has donated well over $1.5 million to the regional facility.

It all began in 1943 when the Trail Hospital Auxiliary was formed by Miss Heeny, the superintendent of nurses. According to the auxiliary’s impeccably kept minutes, Miss Heeny asked several ladies to consider forming the organization – until then nurses ran the show and CM&S (Cominco) was the primary donor of equipment and free oxygen, as well as free steam and heat to the hospital and nurses quarters.

The first meeting was held on June 29 in the nurses residence, by Honorary President Mrs. S.G. Blaylock, President Mrs. E.S. Hoare, Vice President Mrs. Herb Clark, and Mrs. Archie Miller, Secretary Treasurer.

One of the earliest volunteer services was a library. Auxiliary women circulated books to patients on a donated “Safeway cart” until the Cominco carpenter shop built the group a sturdier model a few years later.

This service continues today [pre-COVID] although a myriad of other auxiliary duties have been added over time, including manning the lobby’s information desk, delivering mail, rolling the candy cart floor-to-floor, and portering. That’s all in addition to fundraising through daily gift shop sales and portable T.V. rentals.

Read more: Kootenay Boundary doctors offer a healthy dose of goodness with Gratitude Mural

Read more: Trail family seeks answers after losing mother to COVID-19



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Sheri Regnier

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