The spring and summer have passed quickly and it has been a hot and sometimes smoky summer for most everyone across the Province. Fall is now upon us and we are back in full swing and working hard to provide the equipment and other items for the care and comfort of patients in our local healthcare facilities. I know that many of you worked throughout the summer in Thrift Stores and Hospital Gift Shops, serving tea or taking the tuck cart around to the patients, and are now planning Area Conferences and fundraising events for the coming months.
A Volunteer’s work is never done. I am truly privileged to work with such a wonderful and dedicated group of volunteers!
It has been another busy and successful year for all BCAHA Member Auxiliaries as you can see by the statistics in the 2017 AGM Annual Report. Donations of equipment and supplies totalled $8,594,137, $277,000 in bursaries to youths pursuing careers in medical fields, and a total of 1,177,701 volunteer hours. You are all truly amazing! Thank You for your dedication and hard work.
The 2018 Leadership Forum at Harrison Hot Springs was a wonderful time of learning, sharing and relaxing. The comment cards reflected that the speakers were interesting and informative, and that the Leadership Forum was most successful. We were privileged to have a videographer attend to interview members from across the Province about what their auxiliaries do. Many of you took part either at the Forum or during Ana and Tim’s June trip to a number of northern auxiliaries. It will be great to be able to use the edited video to promote our BCAHA Auxiliaries when it is completed.
During my trip to the June Executive Board meetings in Prince George, I had the opportunity to visit many of the Northeast Area Auxiliaries. It was great to meet with members, tour their healthcare facilities and Gift Shops and to see firsthand the wonderful work that they are doing. Past President Lynda Avis began the outreach program and the executive board members hope to continue visiting many of our auxiliaries in the future.
Tim Sader, Director of Communications, has been busy updating and modernizing the BCAHA Website to make it more “user-friendly” and interesting. Please take the time to go onto the website and follow the very easy to access links. You will find many items of interest including the addition of a calendar where you can post your upcoming events. This is Your website, so please use it to keep in touch with what is happening.
Charlotte Aked completed her three-year term as Director of Finance and I am pleased to announce the appointment of Valerie Wright as your new Director of Finance. Valerie hails from Grand Forks and is well qualified to take on this important position. Welcome Valerie and a Big Thank You to Charlotte for a job well done!
It is almost time for Area AGM’s, Conferences or Presidents meetings. Your Area Directors have worked hard to make these events educational and interesting, and I hope that as many of you as possible will take advantage of the opportunity to meet and interact with other Auxiliary members from throughout your areas. I, and several other BCAHA Executive Board members, will be attending some of the Area Conferences and we are looking forward to meeting with you and learning about what you do in your areas.
There have been a number of questions asked regarding the possibility of returning to a Full Conference format in the future. As you are aware, there was a special resolution passed several years ago to allow for the larger conference format to alternate with a smaller Leadership Forum every second year. The change was approved at the AGM by the membership with the hopes that it would be less costly for Auxiliaries.
The monetary result of this change was negligible, and many auxiliaries were disappointed that they could not send more delegates to the Leadership Forums due to space limitations. Several have expressed the opinion that they would like to return to the Full Conference format every year and they have suggested that those auxiliaries who so chose could send a smaller delegation on alternate years. If your auxiliary would like to go back to the original large format conferences every year, I ask that you submit a Special Resolution to BCAHA Executive prior to the 2019 Conference.
Spring will bring the 2019 BCAHA AGM and Conference that will be held at the Coast Inn of the North in Prince George from April 14-17. Watch the website and mail for further information. I look forward to seeing you there!
On behalf of the BCAHA Executive and Board of Directors, I wish you all a healthy and successful year ahead.
Have a wonderful year,
Marge Anderson