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Giving health services a helping hand

The Boyle Healthcare Centre Auxiliary stepped out of its usual donation mandate by giving new equipment for village Community Health Services office for the first time.
BoyleAuxiliaryPhoto-web
The Boyle Healthcare Centre Auxiliary donated new equipment to the Community Health Services unit for the first time this year. L to R: Irene Luchka, Susan Bandola (Community Care Nurse), Claudette Dornan, Valerie Sinclair, Donna Larson and Sandi Kuzyk.

The Boyle Healthcare Centre Auxiliary stepped out of its usual donation mandate by giving new equipment for village Community Health Services office for the first time.

The society donated equipment for the office's waiting room, including a new television, children's toys and new chairs. Three wheelchairs, two bath chairs and two walkers were also provided by the auxiliary, according to an Alberta Health Services (AHS) press release Aug. 22.

Donna Larson is the secretary and one of the founding members for the auxiliary. She said the health unit has not normally received funding beyond AHS and were very appreciative of the auxiliary's help.

"They have been extremely appreciative and extremely thankful and that is actually very rewarding," Larson said in an interview. "When you know what you contributed and what you fundraised for is really appreciated."

Larson said the equipment was gathered and fundraised for over the course of a year. She noted most auxiliaries tend to be set up specifically to fund hospital equipment, not community health services. Although the health services office is in the same building as the Boyle Healthcare Centre, she said the auxiliary had never been approached about funding it before.

"The only reason we had never included the health unit before was nobody ever thought of it. We were set up for the hospital," Larson said. "But here the health unit is part of the hospital so we could do it."

Boyle Community Health Services nurse Linda Kuraitis said the new equipment helps improve the waiting room experience.

"The waiting room just looks so much more appealing and welcoming now," Kuraitis said in an Aug. 22 AHS release. "Their donations make the waiting room experience more comfortable, enjoyable and relaxing for parents and their children."

The release also said the auxiliary had donated a new hospital-grade electricty breast bump to the health services office earlier this year.

"We are very appreciative of their thoughtfulness, hard work and dedication," Kuraitis said of the auxiliary in the Aug. 22 AHS release.

The auxiliary's next fundraising initiative is dedicated to a new enclosed patio at the Boyle Healthcare Centre, Larson said, with a $180,000 price tag.

"An enclosed patio that is secure so that wandering patients can go out and get some fresh air," Larson said, adding the auxiliary has already raised much of that amount.

She attributed the auxiliary's success to its membership, currently 17-people strong, and their dedication to the hospital.

"It's our hospital and someday we might need that hospital for ourselves," Larson said. "It creates a more user-friendly place. The hospital is important to keep going in the community."

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