Auxiliary annual meeting held

At their annual meeting held recently at the Breese KC Hall, the HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital Breese Auxiliary elected officers, appointed committee chairs and heard reports detailing the Auxiliary’s support of the hospital through various activities.

Elected at the luncheon meeting was Roberta Beer as Auxiliary president, taking over the role for outgoing president Ann Olliges. Also elected were Carol Feldman as vice-president, Judy Kampwerth as recording secretary, Kathie Heimann as corresponding secretary, and Joann Timmermann as treasurer with Mary AuBuchon as assistant treasurer. 

Committee chairs were also appointed during the meeting:

• Bake Sale – Aggie Kampwerth and Ann Olliges
• Cancer Care – Dorothy Bauman
• Floral - Beth Meier and Arlette Szczepan
• Gift Shop – Roberta Beer and Carol Feldman
• Health Fair – Carol Fischer
• Health Advocacy – Joanne Becker
• Membership – Maggie Jakel
• Patient/Visitor Activities - Kathy Deiters
• Public Relations – Mary L. Heeren
• Quilting – Joann Timmermann
• Scholarship – Mary AuBuchon, Jacqueline Chiarolanza and Lynn Rinella
• Ways & Means – Jeannie Weber

These committees presented reports on the support the Auxiliary offered over the past year to the hospital and the patients and families they serve. Some of these reports included:

• Used Book Fair and Bake Sale: The Auxiliary hosted their 20th annual Used Book Fair and Bake Sale in May with a net profit of almost $6,800. The bake sale at the fair netted over $500.
• Membership: At the start of the fiscal year on June 1, the Auxiliary had 317 members - 228 active - and had contributed over 10,500 volunteer hours to the hospital.
• Quilting: Quilt raffles continue to raise substantial funds with gross receipts of over $12,000 on quarterly drawings and almost $10,000 on the “Keeping Us In Stitches” 30-quilt raffle this past spring.
• Gift Shop: The shop netted about $3,400 over the past fiscal year. The gift shop continues to offer a variety of merchandise including hospital t-shirts and sweatshirts, baby quilts, large quilts, stuffed animals, floral arrangements, afghans, etc. 
• Ways & Means and Scholarships: The Auxiliary hosted a plant sale in April which netted over $1,500 and a Bundt cake sale which netted over $800, both of which were designated for scholarships. The Auxiliary plans to award ten $1,000 scholarships for health care career students.

The Auxiliary also assisted at hospital health fairs; distributed coloring books to the emergency room and Clinton County Rural Health as well as comforters to the ER for patients; cleaned and distributed scarves, hats, etc. for the Cancer Care Closet; purchased memory boxes to be presented to family of deceased patients; made multiple floral arrangements for the gift shop as well as gifts/baskets for hospital patients and events; and purchased a popcorn popper for use at hospital events, among many other activities. 

In addition to the volunteer hours and other activities, the Auxiliary recently presented $14,000 to the hospital – $7,000 for equipment to assist with colonoscopy procedures in surgery and a $7,000 gift for a new warmer in the Women and Infants Center which was matched by Share St. Joseph's, whose mission is to support families who experience infant loss.

“When you look at everything we do as a volunteer organization, it’s amazing,” said Chris Gebke, director of volunteers. “I thank you and the hospital thanks you.”

For more information about volunteer opportunities at the hospital, contact Chris Gebke, director of volunteer services, at 618-526-5351 or email Christine.Gebke@hshs.org.

Photo Caption: The HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital Breese Auxiliary recently elected officers, seated with (far left) Chris Gebke, director of volunteers, are (left to right) Roberta Beer, president and gift shop co-chair; Judy Kampwerth, recording secretary; Kathie Heimann, corresponding secretary; and Joann Timmermann, treasurer and quilting committee chair. Not pictured: Carol Feldman, vice-president and gift shop co-chair. Beer replaces Ann Olliges (standing, far left), outgoing president and bake sale co-chair. Standing with Olliges are appointed committee chairs and co-chairs (pictured from left) Arlette Szczepan, floral; Dot Bauman, Cancer Care Closet; Joanne Becker, health advocacy; Jeannie Weber, ways & means; Kathy Deiters, patient/visitor activities; Carol Fischer, health fair; and Mary AuBuchon, assistant treasurer and scholarship committee co-chair. Committee chairs not pictured: Beth Meier, floral; Mary L. Heeren, public relations; Maggie Jakel, membership; Aggie Kampwerth, bake sale; and Lynn Rinella and Jacqueline Chiarolanza, scholarship.