HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital Breese Auxiliary elects new officers and appoints committee chairs at annual meeting

At their annual meeting held in July at the Breese KC Hall, the HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital Breese Auxiliary elected officers and appointed committee chairs for their 2023-24 fiscal year 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, Carol Feldman as vice-president, Joanne Becker as recording secretary, Judy Kampwerth as corresponding secretary, Mary AuBuchon as treasurer and Joann Timmermann as assistant treasurer. 

Committee chairs were also appointed during the meeting: 

• Bake Sale – Aggie Kampwerth and Ann Olliges 
• Cancer Care Closet – Dorothy “Dot” Bauman 
• Floral – Arlette Szczepan 
• Gift Shop – Roberta Beer and Carol Feldman 
• Health Advocacy – Joanne Becker 
• Health Fair – Jeanette Johnson and Marilyn Zobrist. 
  • Special thanks were given to Carol Fischer who was stepping down after 12 years as Health Fair Committee chair. 
• Membership – Margaret “Maggie” Jakel 
• Nominating – Joanne Becker 
• Patient/Visitor Activities - Kathy Deiters 
• Public Relations – Mary L. Heeren 
• Quilting – Joann Timmermann 
• Scholarship – Mary AuBuchon, Jacqueline Chiarolanza and Lynn Rinella 
• Ways & Means – Pat Perkins 

Auxiliary officers and committee chairs as well as Ann Olliges, past president, make up the Auxiliary’s Board of Directors. HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital’s Director of Volunteers Chris Gebke serves in an ex-officio position. 

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: 

• Bake Sale: Held in November 2022 and at the annual Used Book Fair, with $596 realized. 
• Gift Shop: The shop netted over $3,800 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. 
• Membership: Volunteer hours totaled 9,709 for the fiscal year with 199 active and 87 honorary Auxilians. 
• Quilting: Volunteer quilters made baby and large quilts, and baby afghans, netting almost $5,800. Quilts were also offered for summer church picnics. 
• Scholarship: $1,000 scholarships were presented to 10 health care students in 2022 and nine in 2023. 
• Used Book Fair: The 21st annual Used Book Fair featured a new date (March) and new location (Breese KC Hall). Net proceeds for the three-day event plus sales throughout the year in the Gift Shop, HealthPlex, Clinton County Rural Health and the cafeteria hallway on Thursdays totaled $13,440. 
• Ways & Means: The April flower sale realized over $2,200 and the Bundt cake sale raised over $550, with proceeds of both benefiting the scholarship fund. 

Thanks to these fundraising activities, the organization also announced at the meeting that they would be presenting the hospital with $30,000. HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital President and CEO Aaron Puchbauer expressed the hospital’s appreciation for the donation, saying, “Your donation of your time and funds are a significant benefit for our patients, colleagues and the community.” 

In addition to their annual donation, scholarships and ongoing activities, the Auxiliary also supports other hospital functions including assisting at hospital health fairs; distributing coloring books to the emergency room and Clinton County Rural Health as well as comforters to the ER for patients; cleaning and distributing scarves, hats, etc. for the Cancer Care Closet; purchasing memory boxes to be presented to family of deceased patients; making multiple floral arrangements for the gift shop as well as gifts/baskets for hospital patients and events; and supporting many other hospital Mission Team and Foundation events and activities. 

“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. 

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Photo: The HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital Breese Auxiliary recently elected officers and appointed committee chairs for the next fiscal year. Officers installed for the next fiscal year include (seated, from left) Roberta Beer, president and gift shop co-chair; Carol Feldman, vice-president and gift shop co-chair; Mary AuBuchon, treasurer and scholarship co-chair; Joanne Becker, recording secretary and health advocacy chair; Judy Kampwerth, corresponding secretary and (standing, far left) Joann Timmermann, assistant treasurer and quilting chair. Standing with Timmermann are appointed committee chairs and co-chairs (pictured, from left) Arlette Szczepan, floral; Ann Olliges (also past president) and Aggie Kampwerth, bake sale; Margaret “Maggie” Jakel, membership; Pat Perkins, ways & means; Mary L. Heeren, public relations; and Kathy Deiters, patient/visitor activities. Not pictured committee chairs and co-chairs: Dorothy “Dot” Bauman, cancer care closet; Jeanette Johnson and Marilyn Zobrist, health fair; and Jacqueline Chiarolanza and Lynn Rinella, scholarship.