RDHA annual report - Dec. 27
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, December 27, 2016
By Lynn Madden, President
Submitted
Riverdale District Health Auxiliary (RDHA) has been a volunteer-based group of women from all walks of life who have dedicated their time and efforts to improve health care in Rivers. They started in 1959 and though our numbers have decreased over the years, we are still a dedicated group of women who want to make a difference in our community.
In January of each year we send letters to the hospital, rehab centre, personal care home (PCH), ambulance department and doctors’ offices, requesting a wish list for equipment they need and which is not provided by Prairie Mountain Health. To date this year, we have donated $8,859.63 for blood pressure machine, pulse oximeters, rehab equipment, a stair chair for the ambulance and a new recliner for the PCH.
In April, we hosted a regional meeting for six auxiliaries in our region. We made and served lunch to 60 ladies, including the Manitoba Hospital Auxiliary Association (MHAA) president, her treasurer and an area representative. MHAA is disbanding this year; it has become more difficult to find people to take on executive positions which involve a lot of time and travel. Each auxiliary will now be on its own, but hopefully will still get together with other auxiliaries to compare notes and share ideas.
May saw another successful spring tea and dessert event. Once again, Super Thrifty girls put on a super fashion show, featuring the new and bright spring fashions. They were accompanied by Aeleen Sclater with her beautiful harp music. We changed the menu this year to just dessert with tea or coffee; we had many compliments on that. This event raised just over $2,100. Also in May, we donated $250 to Child & Family Services. All moneys raised in Westman stay in Westman to help families in our area who are in need of their services.
In June RDHA presented a $500 scholarship to a collegiate graduate who is going into the medical field; this year’s winner was McKenna Paddock, who is studying at Assiniboine Community College to be a dental hygienist.
In July many of our members assisted Rivers Ag Society with the preparation and serving of the beef supper at the rink. Here again, numbers play a big role in being able to put on events like these. We were pleased to be able to help and would certainly do it again next year.
We take the summer off, but are back to work in September, when we agreed that four members would help at the flu clinics in October and November. We poured coffee again this year at Shelly Mom’s Kitchen to raise money for The Alzheimer Society during their coffee break event. Shelley again donated $1 per cup sold, along with the donation box; we raised $192 for the society. We are thankful the coffee customers gave the greenhorn waitresses a warm welcome!
On Friday, Nov. 18 five members bagged candy for the Santa Claus pictures which were taken with children following the parade on Nov. 19. We donated $250 to the Rivers Collegiate breakfast/lunch program in November and we also donated the money collected for coffee at our monthly meetings to this program.
Every year for Christmas we donate gifts to the rehab patients who will be spending Christmas in our hospital.
Our next big fundraiser will be on Saturday, Jan. 14; we are presenting Strathclair Theatre Chorus in concert at Rivers Collegiate. This will be the first time in their 26 year existence that they will be performing in Rivers, so we hope for your support. Tickets to Gone Country (their theme for this year is all country music) are now on sale and available from any auxiliary member or by calling me at 204-328-7735. This will be a great concert and we hope to see you there! We thank everyone for their support over the year; we can’t do what we do without you!
