March 29, 2024

Skiff Auxiliary reaches $1 million fundraising milestone

Since its inception in the fall of 1951, the Skiff Medical Center Auxiliary has raised $1 million for the hospital.

From the beginning, the Auxiliary was a major contributor of funds and services to the hospital, from sewing, making bandages and making daily rounds to rooms with service carts, to organizing fundraisers that funded major pieces of equipment at the hospital and provided scholarships for students pursuing a health-care career.

Although the services the organization provides have evolved over the years, it is still a major supporter of Skiff. It has contributed $714,774 that has been used to purchase needed equipment and supplies for the hospital. In the past few years, the Auxiliary has purchased a pharmacy bedside scanner, TVs for inpatient rooms, new audiology software/hardware and a blanket warmer.

The organization also coordinates the many volunteers who work at the hospital each day greeting visitors and patients at the ambassador desk, delivering mail, flowers, books and magazines to patients and operating the hospital gift shop.

“The Auxiliary plays a very important role at Skiff,” said Steve Long, CEO. “They help ensure the best care is close to home by providing volunteers who donate more than 7,000 hours of service each year to the hospital and by purchasing equipment and supplies we may not otherwise have been able to purchase.”

The Auxiliary also offers annual scholarships to Jasper County students who are studying to become medical professionals. The organization began offering the scholarships in 1957 and to date has provided $284,339 in scholarships to students in several different medical fields. This year alone, 11 scholarships totaling $11,000 will be awarded to students.

The Auxiliary hosts various fundraisers throughout the year to raise funds for the equipment purchases and uses profits from operating the hospital gift shop to fund the scholarships.

“It is a great accomplishment for our organization to reach this fundraising milestone,” said Connie Annis, Auxiliary president. “We are very thankful for the dedicated Auxiliary members who assist the organization with our fundraising efforts and make our events so successful, which ultimately benefit the hospital and the citizens of Jasper County.”

The Auxiliary is governed by a 15 person board and currently has 142 paid members. Individuals are welcome to join the organization at anytime, although membership dues are payable by Oct. 1 each year. An individual membership for the Auxiliary is $10, family is $15 and a lifetime membership is $250.

If you would like to join the Auxiliary or receive more information about the organization, please call Annis at (641) 831-0280.