By Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland
The auxiliary can’t put volunteers in all the places they used to, the great fundraisers the foundation puts together have had to change to virtual and other formats – the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a lot of changes to these Northumberland Hills Hospital organizations, but they still don’t stop.
Reports on their latest news were delivered at the June board meeting.
NHH Auxiliary president Marg Hilborn was pleased that their top money-makers, Petticoat Lane and the Little Treasure Shoppe, were allowed to open once the lockdown ended.
The Little Treasure Shoppe is located inside the hospital, but the rent has to be paid for Petticoat Lane and that eats into their resources. The landlord did apply for and get some commercial-rent relief, but only one time.
The auxiliary did get a sizeable donation from someone who had been in palliative care, whose loved ones noticed how much the person loved the soft flannelette nightgown and pillow case. The auxiliary’s corps of sewers had purchased this material from Stitch Witch, which is just now closed. But one of their sewers managed to get a great discount on the fabric, and they purchased $1,000 worth to keep the sewers going.
Hilborn also had major governance news on the auxiliary, a project that the pandemic gave them time to tackle. NHH has stepped in to help with one major part of the revisions, a paid volunteer manager for the amazing body of volunteers the auxiliary fielded until COVID shut much of this kind of programming down.
“Our big concern is what makes our auxiliary special, and we have been told over the years that it’s the caring nature of our volunteers. So we are looking forward to finding someone and being involve din the hiring – and we would like to thank the hospital so much for supporting us in this venture,” Hilborn said.
Offering an update from the NHH Foundation, Wendy Ito said they have just set their new budget, projecting revenues of $3.5-million. But what form their fundraisers may take as we move past COVID is still uncertain.
“Our foundation and our community have been incredible throughout this pandemic,” board chair Pam Went said.
“The foundation has never said no, they have never used the pandemic as an excuse. They have only used it as an opportunity. And our community has always risen to the occasion, saying yes when asked.”
