Hospital auxiliary expands activities
WAYNESBURG – All in all, 2015 was a very good year for the volunteer auxiliary that is now affiliated with WHS-Greene hospital.
When Southwest Regional Medical Center ran the facility, it was a for-profit company and the nonprofit auxiliary could not support the needs of the medical center, secretary Carol Wise said.
That changed when Regional Care sold the hospital to Washington Health System last July.
“Now we can,” Wise said.
The auxiliary raises money to benefit the community and WHS-Greene through its gift shop on the first floor of the hospital and by selling donated goods that pour in daily to its thrift shop, Cherry Door, on Elm Drive in Waynesburg.
Cherry Door serves the community with inexpensive clothing, housewares, books and toys.
On most days, clothing is under a dollar an item and on sale days, everything goes for half price. In any given year, “we raise between $20,000 and $25,000,” treasurer Herb Wise said.
In November, the auxiliary donated $20,000 to WHS-Greene to renovate the reception area.
Now, the auxiliary is bringing in the new year with yet another donation – funds to buy a Stricker transport chair for the auxiliary escort service, where volunteers move patients in and out of the facility.
In the spirit of cooperation being forged between the auxiliary and the new operator, Washington Health System will match the donation with a second Striker chair.
In December, the auxiliary participated in a uniform sale to employees and benefited from a 20 percent commission, which added to the money available for auxiliary service projects.
A sale of umbrellas, hats, jackets and shirts with the WHS logo is scheduled from 7 a.m. until noon Monday and Tuesday at WHS-Greene hospital’s Guesman Room. The auxiliary will receive a commission on all sales. Samples will be on display. The sale is open to the public.
For more information, call 724-627-3101.