Greetings to all our Members!
Once again we have come to the end of another successful year as Auxiliary Volunteers, and the endless possibilities and excitement of a New Year are just around the corner.
The Board of Directors of The British Columbia Association of Healthcare Auxiliaries and our membership have worked unfailingly towards a common goal during the past year, in an effort to support our home auxiliaries, our communities, and each other. As in life, there have been some unexpected challenges at the Board table. Unfortunately, the elected Vice President of the BCAHA, Vicky Forest, was forced to resign in October due to health concerns. As a result of this resignation, a Call for Nominations was circulated and on December 1st, Marge Anderson of The Lake Auxiliary to the Cowichan District Hospital was appointed to the Vice President role effective to the BCAHA AGM in April, 2017. We are very pleased to welcome Marge to the BCAHA team and we look forward to working with her at the Board table.
By now, you will have all received promotional materials regarding the upcoming BCAHA Provincial Conference, being held in Kamloops from April 24th to the 26th, 2017. Since the Vice President’s resignation, a Conference Committee comprised of members of the BCAHA Board and with the support of our member auxiliaries in the Kamloops area, has assumed the responsibility for the further planning and implementation of this event. A Western Theme will be dominant throughout the conference and we encourage you to dig out those cowboy boots and Stetsons, and practice your line dancing, so that you may fully enjoy the mix and mingle festivities.
The official conference theme is SPRING ROUNDUP—SHARING AND BUILDING ON YOUR SUCCESSES. In addition to ample networking opportunities, the education aspect of the conference will feature workshops focusing on many pertinent Auxiliary activity topics: Gaming Regulations; Auxiliary Health Care Protection Insurance Plan; Youth Volunteer Programs; Building On Your Marketing Success with Digital Dynamics; Improved Success with your Auxiliary Gift Shop; Thrift Store Renovation Success; current Hospice Care; and important information on how we may experience success when dealing with Alzheimer’s and Dementia. It will be a valuable conference, all around, and one you will not wish to miss! Watch for the Conference Registration package in January!
I always enjoy reading Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol at this time of year. Dickens emphasizes the joys of the season – family gatherings, the sharing of traditional culinary delights, the giving and receiving of gifts and, of course, the importance of looking after your fellow man. The latter, to me, exemplifies the spirit of auxiliaries. Thank you for all you have done this whole year through and, as Tiny Tim would say, “God Bless Us Everyone!”
Warmly,
