The Sequim-Dungeness Hospital Guild surpassed its donations to medical and health organizations from last year at its recent annual fundraiser luncheon giving away $30,000 to numerous community causes.
The Guild’s luncheon on May 3 at 7 Cedars Casino included a silent auction and fashion show, where president Nancy McGovern presented $10,000 to Peninsula College School of Nursing, $10,000 to the Dungeness Valley Health & Wellness Clinic, $8,000 to Olympic Medical Center, $1,500 to the Diamond Point Helipad project and $500 to KSQM radio station.
Proceeds from the Guild’s Thrift Shop, at 204 W. Bell St., are donated twice a year to medical and health organizations in Clallam County: once in the winter at the Guild’s Christmas appreciation luncheon and once in the spring.
Last year, the Guild donated $27,500 to medical and health organizations and McGovern said the Guild was able to donate more this year.
“We had a good year and were able to increase our giving to the community because of our donations and shoppers,” she said.
McGovern said tickets for the spring luncheon go toward renting out the 7 Cedars facility at $25 per ticket and the proceeds from the silent auction go back to the thrift shop.
Several Guild members volunteer to put on a fashion show with models wearing items from the thrift shop that are available to purchase.
“Our volunteers work really hard,” she said. “When they get to see the fashion (show) it’s fun, and they get to see the donations put back into the community.”
Dungeness Valley Health & Wellness Center Executive Director Sara Nicholls said the Guild has donated about $119,000 to its medical organization over the last nine years. The Health & Wellness Center, know as the “Sequim Free Clinic,” that provides free medical care services to the Sequim Community with an all-volunteer staff.
“We have been able to provide over $4 million worth of free medical care to our patients,” Nicholls said. “We can’t say thank you enough.”
Dr. Alana Murphy, Peninsula College director of nursing, said the College’s nursing program is expanding and aims at trying to provide scholarships and academic support to its nursing students. Getta Rogers Workman, Peninsula College Foundation executive director, agreed many students rely on scholarships and financial support.
“I extend to this group in particular, the gratitude of those students and the college, and all of our health care partners in this effort, a hearty thank you because this $10,000 is going to go a long way,” she said.
For Olympic Medical Center recipients Kelly North and Mindy Stephens, $5,000 will go toward purchasing a hysteroscope which allows women’s examinations to be done outside of an operating room and $3,000 toward a bariatric recliner which will provide more comfort for clients undergoing infusions ranging from 30 minutes to six hours.
“This (hysteroscope) is going to be huge for the women in our community because they will not have to go to the operating room to have this procedure,” Kelly North said.
“These (bariatric recliner) chairs are going to come in very handy for not only our space but for the comfort of our patients,” Mindy Stephens said.
The remaining donations were given to a heliport project in Diamond Point, where the Diamond Point Airport Association is looking to improve the Airport’s 2WA1’s helipad to create a safer place for airlifts to Seattle, and to KSQM radio station.
Sequim-Dungeness Hospital Guild volunteers Mary Nesbitt and Rebecca Wallace, foreground, model a five-piece retro ensemble at the annual Guild luncheon and fashion show at 7 Cedars Casino on May 3. Sequim Gazette photo by Erin Hawkins
