Saff and volunteers at Kelowna General Hospital recently celebrated the official opening of a beautiful new outdoor garden space, dedicated to the hundreds of volunteers who make up the Kelowna, Rutland, Peachland and Winfield hospital auxiliaries.
In particular, the dedication honoured their recent gift of a new, $1.9-million CT Scanner for KGH’s emergency department.
“The generosity of the auxiliary members in this community is truly unparalleled,” said KGH Foundation board member, Tanja Halsall, who spoke at the garden space dedication.
“The countless hours that our hospital auxiliaries gives each year to fundraising events and volunteer staffing make them an invaluable part of our team. We are grateful for their dedication and happy to honor them in this way.”
The hospital auxiliaries are vital to supporting the hospital and operate on the generosity of volunteers.
Last year, all four auxiliaries joined forces and committed to purchasing the CT scanner. The purchase was funded solely from the net proceeds raised through KGH business ventures, auxiliary catering operations in Peachland and Winfield, and the Rutland auxiliary thrift shop.
“I am delighted that we have reached the goal of purchasing a CT Scanner for ER with the priceless service of each and every one,” said Kelowna Hospital Auxiliary president Georgiann Kasdorf.
“I am truly inspired by the hard work and dedication of our auxiliary members as well as the hundreds of additional volunteers in the business venues, including those behind the scenes.”
“The vision and the commitment of the hospital auxiliaries that work with the KGH Foundation and Interior Health has been one that sets an example for the health care industry,” added Nancy Wells, KGH Foundation business enterprise manager, who works closely with the auxiliaries.
“The impact they have on youth volunteers in the healthcare field, their support of hospice house, the mentorship and comradery they offer those in their membership and the volunteers who help them certainly needs to be acknowledged. I’m so very proud to work with them.”
The hospital auxiliaries also provides thousands of dollars in bursaries every year to support graduating students from their community who are entering post-secondary institutions to pursue careers in health care or medicine.
The Auxiliary Gardens courtyard, located between the new Interior Heart and Surgical Center (IHSC) and Centennial building, was designed to provide a peaceful space for healing and reflection for staff and patients.