WALKERTON – After almost 120 years as a volunteer organization working in the community to raise funds for South Bruce Grey Health Centre’s (SBGHC) Walkerton hospital site and the former County of Bruce General Hospital, the Walkerton Hospital Auxiliary has disbanded.
The Walkerton Hospital Auxiliary was founded in 1903, and until March 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, operated the gift shop in the Walkerton hospital, entirely by volunteers. In addition to the gift shop, other fundraising initiatives were held in the community throughout the years to support the purchase of medical equipment for the hospital.
In July, the Walkerton Hospital Auxiliary presented a cheque to the Walkerton and District Hospital Foundation from the sale of the remaining items in the gift shop before it closed its doors in the spring.
“On behalf of the Walkerton and District Hospital Foundation, I would like to give a heartfelt thank you to the Hospital Auxiliary ladies for their dedication over the many years in raising funds to assist the foundation,” said Mark Gaynor, Walkerton and District Hospital Foundation president. “With the help of these ladies, as well as from Ken Weber and the late Walter Demerling, we have been successful in replacing the equipment required to support our hospital staff and our community. We will truly miss seeing these smiling faces in our gift shop every day, but nonetheless, we wish them nothing but the best on their future endeavors.”
“The gift shop, and all of the volunteers who have worked in it, have been a symbol of community spirit inside the hospital for many years, and they will be missed,” said Michael Barrett, SBGHC CEO. “On behalf of the SBGHC board, staff, physicians and volunteers, I want to thank all of the Walkerton Hospital Auxiliary members for their many years of service to support the Walkerton community.
“For well over a century, this group of community-minded individuals has dedicated time and effort to support our hospital and the patients, families, caregivers, and visitors that we serve, and we are sincerely grateful.”
