By Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland
A Friday-afternoon gathering in The Bistro at Northumberland Hills Hospital was in honour of three extraordinary young volunteers who were receiving the Northumberland Hills Hospital Auxiliary Scholarship in Memory of Dixie Mikel.
Lindsey Kemp, McKenzie Macklin and Raquel Deperasinski, on the last post-Christmas Friday afternoon before returning to university, received not only the $1,250 awards but also certificates of congratulations from Northumberland-Peterborough South MPP David Piccini.
Auxiliary president Marg Hilborn applauded the work they had done at NHH as volunteers during their busy secondary-school days, making a difference for staff, patients and even patients’ families. Their duties ranged from helping at mealtime to – on one memorable night – drawing on the services of Deperasinski to act an interpreter following a traffic accident on Highway 401.
Hilborn introduced Dixie Mikel’s daughter Liz who, along with auxiliary director of finance Richard Holland, presented the scholarships to the three students who met the award criteria – having accumulated at least 80 volunteer hours at NHH and being in their first semester of a post-secondary institution pursuing studies that will lead to a career in health care.
Kemp and Macklin are in the bachelor-of-science program at Queen’s University, while Deperasinski is in the bachelor-of-health-sciences program at Ryerson University’s midwifery program.
NHH senior vice-president of operations Liz Vosburgh told the recipients that this is one of the most prestigious awards given at the hospital.
“I have attended many of these ceremonies, and it never gets tired or mundane,” Vosburgh said.
“It represents the future of health care, but also recognizes the special recipients who have given their time not only to support NHH but our patients – I know the recipients today are our future.
“Thank you to the auxiliary for maintaining this award and to the Mikel family as well as congratulations to the recipients in honour of what Dixie Mikel brought to the hospital.”
Hilborn expanded on this point, saying that Mikel – whose name was Yvonne but who gained that nickname that forever stuck in university during her nursing studies – a doctor’s wife, and a committee and valued hospital volunteer. She is credited with developing the Candy Stripers program that welcomed caring and committed teenage volunteers to do the iconic pink-and-white striped aprons and perform the same kinds of duties that Deperasinski, Kemp and Macklin performed.
“Of course, the plum assignment was operating the gift cart,” she said.
“Dixie was also very involved with Petticoat Lane, the hospital thrift shop which remains an essential part of our auxiliary operations. And the Mikel home was used for teas and garden parties – truly a dedicated auxiliary volunteer.”
Piccini expressed his thanks to the three young ladies who were receiving the award in Mikel’s honour.
“The Dixie Mikel award really exemplifies commitment to our community and to volunteerism,” he said.
“That spirit lives on in the hope and determination embodied by these three young ladies here today.”
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
