ESTEVAN — The St. Joseph's Health Care Auxiliary is weighing its options for its next fundraising project at St. Joseph's Hospital, now that it has nearly paid for the purchase of new x-ray equipment.
The auxiliary has been working to fundraise $320,000 to purchase the new unit. The donations it receives will also pay for related renovations for the diagnostic imaging equipment at the hospital.
The auxiliary has been able to raise the money through its own fundraising efforts and estate donations, such as one that it received from Tom and Irma Trofimenkoff. It is also a long-time member agency for the United Way Estevan.
"We do get support from the United Way. We gladly accept all we can get from them," said president Valerie Hagel.
The allocation from the United Way helps the auxiliary pay off projects as quickly as they do. Representatives of the organization are looking forward to appearing on the United Way Estevan Telethon on Oct. 13 and 14 at the Estevan branch of the Royal Canadian Legion.
St. Joseph's Hospital executive director Candace Kopec said she spoke to the auxiliary at September's meeting, and she appreciates their continuing support.
"They're looking at supporting us on a couple of projects. We're just working out the details on some of those."
The auxiliary meets the third Monday of the month at the hospital at 1:30 p.m., except for July and August. It is looking for new members.
In April, the auxiliary reopened the gift shop inside the hospital for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions came into effect in March 2020.
They also hope to have a pre-Christmas tea and bake sale in the hospital's auditorium in the first week of December. The event hasn't happened since December 2019.
