Auxiliary's Contribution Goes Beyond Time, Money

PARSONS, Kan., April 23, 2010 – Wymetta Higginson was honored as the Labette Health Auxiliary’s Volunteer of the Year during a luncheon for Auxiliary members Friday at the Parsons Sirloin Stockade. The luncheon was part of Labette Health’s observance of National Healthcare Volunteers Week.

Higginson, who volunteers in the hospital pharmacy, also received a pin for contributing 6,000 hours of volunteer service. She said she began volunteering at the hospital in 1999 and appreciated the social aspects of the Auxiliary.

“We live out in the country, so I would never have met so many nice ladies if I hadn’t joined the Auxiliary and volunteered at the hospital,” she said.

Labette Health’s Auxiliary, which has 64 active members, contributed 16,863 hours of volunteer service at the hospital during 2009, Auxiliary President Roberta Vernon told Labette Health trustees during their board meeting Thursday evening. She said that it was becoming increasingly difficult to recruit Auxiliary members and schedule volunteers to meet the needs of the hospital and its patients.

“People are working later in life now, and when they aren’t working, they’re having to take care of their grandchildren,” she said.

Auxiliary members operate the information desk in the hospital lobby, work in the gift shop and pharmacy, provide vending machines, deliver mail, operate a coffee cart and perform many other valuable tasks around the hospital.

“I really don’t know how the hospital would get along without our volunteers,” said Auxiliary Director Kerri Beardmore. “They do so much and they are such an inspiration to all of us.”

In addition to their time, the Auxiliary donated $7,350 last year to the Labette Health Foundation and the hospital and funded an additional $3,300 in scholarships. President Vernon told hospital trustees during Thursday’s meeting that the Auxiliary will contribute another $10,000 this year to be used to meet equipment needs.

Labette Health’s Auxiliary, which was founded in 1963, has received the Gold Award of Excellence from the Kansas Hospital Association every year but one since 1991.

Wymetta Higginson, right, was recently honored as the Labette Health Auxiliary's Volunteer of the Year. Kerri Beardmore, left, is Auxiliary Director.

Learn more about the Labette Health Auxiliary and volunteer opportunities