Back to Work: Hospital Auxiliary Celebrates Successes

The Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Auxiliary members are volunteers who provide services to hospital patients, staff, and the community. They have been volunteering alongside the hospital’s doctors, nurses, and staff since 1958. In that time, they have provided over one million volunteer service hours and have raised almost $2 million dollars.

During the pandemic, Fran and the rest of the Auxiliary volunteers were limited in where they could be and what they could do within the hospital – and for a year, they weren’t allowed to volunteer in-person at all.

This year, however, with health and safety precautions in place, the volunteers were able to return to the hospital and return to what they truly enjoy and are passionate about — serving SNMH’s staff and patients. By mid-summer, volunteers had returned to the Cancer/Infusion Center, nursing floors and the Emergency Department.

“The volunteers who weathered the COVID-19 storm of complete closure for over one year, plus several openings and closings, proved their dedication and flexibility to meeting the needs of SNMH,” Fran says proudly. “Every volunteer went the extra mile to fulfill any vacancies in schedules. Some served almost 25 hours per week! I am so grateful and appreciative to those volunteers!”

In fact, the loyalty and commitment to service has been so profound among Auxiliary volunteers, Fran and her team instituted the ‘President’s Lifetime Achievement Award.’ This national program gives local organizations like the Auxiliary a way to recognize a volunteer who has donated more than 4,000 hours of their time to their specific organization. Along with the honor of presidential recognition, recipients receive a personalized certificate, an official pin, medallion or coin and a congratulatory letter from the president of the United States.

Longtime Auxiliary volunteer Cathy Corliss was the top recipient of the Lifetime Achievement honor this year.

“Cathy has served over 20,000 hours and is also the longest serving member of the Auxiliary,” Fran says. “She has been an active member for 24 years and has served on the Auxiliary Board for all those years. For the past 13 years, Cathy has served as the Chairperson of the Gift Shop.”

In addition to Cathy, several other members also earned the Presidential award: Fran Thompson, Judy Wilson, Patty Kuehhirt, Carol Hauswirth, Mary Green, Phyllis Burbridge, Shirley Glenn, Suzanne Nobles, Katy McKay and Judy Ten Eyk.

This year wasn’t just about recognition, though. The Auxiliary worked hard to rebuild its funds, after losing fundraising opportunities during the pandemic.

“Along with serving the hospital through volunteer hours, the Auxiliary donates annually, if possible, a form of equipment that directly effects patient care,” Fran explains. “In past years, the Auxiliary donated $10,000 to the purchase of the mammography equipment as well as $35,000 to the emergency department project.”

This year the Auxiliary was able to donate a bariatric chair, a critical tool to help with moving patients from room to room. A new mammography machine made by possible in part due to Auxiliary support was also delivered and installed to the Women’s Breast Center.

This type of support from the Auxiliary is made possible through sales at the Auxiliary-run hospital Gift Shop, as well as through additional fundraising activities like bake sales at Christmas and Easter, Care Wear shoe sales, Bag City Leather sales and other vendors who come on-site and give the Auxiliary a percentage of their sales.

Looking ahead to the future, Fran encourages anyone interested to consider volunteering with the Auxiliary team.

“The Auxiliary is ALWAYS open to new members,” she says. “COVID-19 took its toll on our number of active members. At this time, most of our services have openings in their respective shift schedules. After screening and training, you could step into being an active member of the SNMH Auxiliary!”

The Auxiliary also provides social gatherings for its members with quarterly luncheons at Lake Wildwood throughout the year and a picnic every May. Meet and Greets are regularly scheduled with the goal of getting all new members into service as soon as possible.

Joining the SNMH Auxiliary: What You Need to Know

The Auxiliary is open to men and women who are 18 years of age and physically able to meet the essential functions of their respective service area.

Auxiliary applications are available at the main lobby desk, the Pine Tree Gift Shop, the outpatient Lobby desk, and the SNMH Foundation website supportsierranevada.org/snmhauxiliary. You may also call 530-274-6000 x 5109 and leave a message.