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Brockville General Hospital |
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front row, from the left Gail Parslow (Honorary President), Maureen Overy (President), Bea Slack, Marla Gilliland, Carole Crump
In 1889 the Association began as the Women’s Auxiliary at the same time Brockville General Hospital moved to its current site. It seems to have had an earlier life as the Ladies’ Committee of Brockville General Hospital. The BGH Women’s Auxiliary was the fourth hospital auxiliary to be organized in Ontario. Brockville General Hospital began as the Brockville Free Medical Dispensary in 1881 in a double house on Church Street. In 1885 the decision was made that it should become a hospital, and the hospital corporation was formed on April 10, 1885. Up until that time, the Dispensary had given 1,711 treatments to 521 different patients, and there had been 25 inpatients. A brief history of the Dispensary published in the Recorder on March 6, 1885, pointed out that “the ladies of Brockville had been very kind in supplying material for bandages and dressings, clothing, sheets, blankets, quilts and other bedding.” This was undoubtedly the work of the Ladies’ Committee. The Ladies’ Committee held an Open House and Tea on March 6, 1889 to introduce the grand new hospital to the community. On June 18 of the same year, the committee held a meeting to plan the new organization, and on November 11, 1889 the constitution and new name were ratified, giving birth to the Women’s Auxiliary. The minutes of this meeting, and all meetings since then, are held in the Volunteer Association archives. The new hospital had 25 beds by 1890, with living accommodations for the matron, nursing students and nursing staff. The building was almost immediately identified as too small, and a building fund was established to raise money for an addition. Auxiliary members immediately began canvassing for funds through a number of innovative activities. From 1885 to 1898, the Auxiliary actively raised funds to assist in paying off hospital debt. This and the other fundraising activities of the Auxiliary became vital to the survival and growth of the hospital over the next hundred years; however, the Auxiliary did much more than just raising money for the hospital. Over the years, volunteers spent countless hours assisting patients and families in the hospital. Some Milestones:
References: This history was researched by Charlie Boyle, former Secretary to the Brockville General Hospital Board, from the Minutes of the Brockville General Hospital Auxiliary. Services BGVA members work in many areas. On an annual basis over 240+ women and men who are active members in Brockville General Volunteer Association generously donate over 26,500 hours to the two sites of Brockville General Hospital. All of our Volunteers are Criminal Referenced Checked and Personal Referenced Checked. Volunteers also are Communicable Disease Screened by Occupational Health and have completed the following training before starting their Volunteer work:
All BGVA Volunteers are required to wear a blue volunteer jacket and photo ID tags when volunteering at the hospital. At the Charles Street Site and Garden Street Site the Information Desk volunteers welcome everyone to the hospital’s sites and help them to find their destinations. In the Gift Shops also at both sites they can be found both behind the counters, and behind the scenes. Volunteers buy stock; make crafts or silk flower arrangements, knit items such as sweaters and baby outfits for sale. At Charles Street Site they also take the Wagon Cart out to the patients’ floors 6 days a week so that patients and visitors can purchase comfort items, and newspapers. The profits from sales in the shop, along with Eleanor’s Café and the Fund Raising Committee go towards the purchase of hospital equipment. In Eleanor’s Café the volunteers, who work in teams of two people per shift, begin work early in the morning, around 7 a.m. They open that early in order to have coffee and snacks available for staff to purchase as they go to work. Eleanor’s Café is the major fund raiser for Brockville General Volunteer Association. Another group of volunteers who start early in the morning is the Patient Service volunteers who go onto the patient floors. They deliver ice water, tidy tray tables, tidy flower arrangements, visit and generally offer comfort. At Charles Street site there are volunteers who work in Day Surgery who prepare refreshments, provide blankets and wheel patients down to the front door when it is time to go home. There are other “behind the scenes” volunteers who work in the “Joy Short” Linen Room, located off the kitchen in what was originally the hospital bakery. These ladies work one day a week, mending hospital linens and cutting and sewing various items as required. The room was named in honour of Joy Short who led the program for many years. The Hair Care volunteers are a dedicated group who work weekly. They wash patients’ hair, and will cut it if requested, by appointment in their specially equipped “Get Set Room”. Some of these ladies have been working in the service since the mid1970s. At Garden Street Site volunteers work with the patients in Recreation Therapy. They assist in portering for bingos, movie shows and other recreation activities. The Spiritual Care volunteers visit patients and, once a week, help with the ecumenical service provided by the department. A small number of volunteers assist patients at meal times. These Mealtime Assistant volunteers receive training in this process before going onto the patient floors to help where needed. Our Emergency Room Support Service volunteers go in to the Charles Street Site Emergency Room on weekdays from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and from 4:30 p.m., until 8:30 p.m., to help the patients and staff. They liaise between the patients in the waiting room and the staff, as well as find blankets and pillows for patients in the examining rooms. One of the volunteers described it as “basic mothering”. The Fund Raising Committee members all work in other areas but still find time to plan events throughout the year. They have raised funds from garage sales, silent auctions, Christmas bazaars, bus trips and the many vendors who rent tables in the main hallway to sell their wares. This past year has been very successful. Selling lottery tickets on behalf of the hospital is another way BGVA volunteers help raise funds. Another task performed by BGVA volunteers but appreciated by out-patients, is the Magazine cart which is a weekly distribution of fresh reading material to waiting areas throughout the building. Brockville General Volunteer Association members are often called upon for time, or baking, over and above their scheduled work. They give generously so that the organization can sell raffle tickets; daffodils for the Cancer Society; carnations for the Multiple Sclerosis Society; help prepare mailings for the Brockville Hospital District Foundation; sell Tim Horton’s Smile Cookies; register organ or tissue donors; guide school children around the hospital; plan the redecoration and furnishing of a patient lounge; sell a “homemade” Christmas lunch. Additionally there is a Volunteer Board of Director’s who oversee the operations of the Volunteer Association and a paid Co-ordinator of Volunteer’s who recruits, trains and orientates the volunteer’s to ensures compliance in all areas of service. The BGVA Volunteer Co-ordinator, Cheryl Marshall x1254 (CSS) or x4088 (GSS) takes care of the daily running of the offices at both locations.
If you are interested in volunteering at Brockville General Hospital please complete our ONLINE APPLICATION FORM or have any questions about the Volunteer Association, please contact: Cheryl Marshall,
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