HAGERSVILLE—If you arrive at West Haldimand General Hospital (WHGH) through the main doors, you may have seen a woman at the desk, ready to answer any question. Behind her, a cafe and gift shop that holds something for anyone wanting to distract their minds from why they’re in the hospital in the first place.
This, and so much more evidence, show how when the hospital lacks funding from the province, it – and Haldimand – is held up by West Haldimand General Hospital’s Auxiliary.
Jo-Ann Duns, Gail Doughty, Dianne Strohm, and Betty Pierson pose next to one corner of tourist charms provided by West Haldimand General Hospital’s Cafe and Gift Shop, which is run by the women’s auxiliary. 
West Haldimand General Hospital Auxiliary president Jo-Ann Duns, left, and members Betty-Ann Laidlaw, Suzette Rapos, and Gail Doughty decide the layout of sweet treats in boxes for sale in one of their fundraisers 
Local handcrafts and carefully selected curiosities adorn the walls of WHGH’s Cafe and Gift Shop, run by the hospital’s auxiliary. Snacks, lunch items, and that hospital staple, coffee, are available to visitors, staff, and community members. —Haldimand Press photos by Tara Lindemann.
From 1964-2022 a total of $1,354,819.49 has been raised for the hospital. That number does not reflect yearly inflation rates, which would bring the value up much, much higher.
The auxiliary raised $6,000 in 1964, which would equate to $57,630 in 2023. When the auxiliary raised $84,000 in 1990, it would be valued at $197,707.75 today.
Since the pandemic, the auxiliary has been attempting thematic monthly fundraising efforts; they featured chili in October, and a Black Friday soup sale made an impressive $700. December’s efforts involed a cookie sale.
The group is taking a break in January, but looking forward to continuing their tireless efforts in February, according to auxiliary president Jo-Ann Duns.
“And then Easter’s early this year,” Duns said, trailing off to make a note in her binder that’s already thick with tabbed, orderly files.
“People don’t recognize how powerful the auxiliary is,” said WHGH manager of support and services Karen McKellar.
“Everyone’s so passionate (and) the group’s creativity and dedication is wonderful, and it’s local,” said McKellar. “Even seeing when our leadership team presents items they want purchased, the ability to make that happen is extraordinary. The auxiliary thinks outside the box.”
Once a battalion of over 300 women with subgroups in Caledonia, Cayuga, Fisherville, Jarvis, and Springvale, there are now just 67 members who fundraise for the hospital. They are inviting people of all ages and abilities to join them.
Duns showed a plastic-protected sheet of names and numbers in red and black.
“The ones in black are those who are volunteering in the hospital, and the ones in red are those who have special skills but don’t want to or cannot be physically here that we can call on when we need baking, for example,” she said. “We appreciate anything someone can do to help.”
A schoolteacher and mother of four, Duns joined the auxiliary in 1989.
“On Saturdays, because we were open then, I would bring a baby over with a baby buggy, and sit there from 2 to 4 p.m.,” she said.
Duns has been president since 2018, and said volunteer numbers have been dwindling since the 1990s.
“I think that people don’t understand volunteering, and numbers are dwindling everywhere,” said Duns. “It’s really hard to get people to come out to volunteer, and it’s happening everywhere.”
“By the time people come from work and then they have to be somewhere, it’s a lot.”
McKellar, said that work is underway to build up recruits.
“It has been difficult; we’ve tried meet and greets where a member brings a friend, and flyers all over, but we’re working on it,” she said.
Positions include the cafe and gift shop, the visitor’s desk, and being part of the elder care program to offer companionship to patients.
“We’ve also introduced a greeter position in ER, and it’s been going really well,” said McKellar. “People come into the ER in their or their loved one’s worst moments, and it makes a difference to see a friendly face who can offer assistance.
“It takes the pressure off of the nurses at triage,” she added.
Duns agreed, praising McKellar for “taking the pressure off of finding volunteers.”
“It means we can focus on filling the gift shop and raising money,” she said.
When asked why 67 people still volunteer, Duns replied, “I think we do it because it’s local – it’s our hospital and our community – and really that’s why we’re here. It helps our community, and we love doing it.”
To learn more about volunteering with the auxiliary, contact Karen McKellar at karen.mckellar@whgh.ca or 905-768-3311 ext.1145.
