RUMFORD — At a small gathering Friday morning, members of the Rumford Hospital Auxiliary celebrated the group’s 95 years of service.
Barbara Belanger, longtime president of the auxiliary, said she was looking through some materials a while back and noticed mention of the auxiliary’s 94th year.
“The next year was the 95th, only five years from 100th, but I thought it was about time to do something,” Belanger said.
At a gathering in the conference room at Rumford Hospital, Peter Wright, president of the hospital, said: “In every community across the country, a hospital or health care team is an integral part of what a community is. To think about the history of the River Valley and all that you have accomplished. The auxiliary has always been our number-one fundraiser. What’s special is when people of the community, out of the goodness of their heart, volunteer their time to help us achieve our mission. Thank you for 95 years of dedication and devotion.”
Becky Hall, vice president of nursing, agreed the auxiliary is the hospital’s top fundraiser.
“But even during the pandemic, this group did not miss a beat,” Hall said. “I got the same amount in that check that I did the year before. That just warmed my heart. The pandemic didn’t even stop you from fundraising.”
Belanger, who has been with the auxiliary since 1972, said during her years on the auxiliary, “a lot of things have changed in the world, and certainly in the medical field, everywhere.”
“But the one thing I know about the auxiliary,” she said, “is that you all have a lot of love and loyalty to this hospital, which is so very important to the community.”
Belanger said the auxiliary members are “great ambassadors of this hospital.”
At the beginning, Belanger said, the auxiliary was a much larger group and could do bigger fundraisers. When the hospital fairs were held at the Rumford Armory, for example, the auxiliary in the 1970s gave away a new Dodge Colt. That was back when Ruth Pidacks served on the auxiliary, with Byron Joy on the hospital’s board of directors.
Belanger said the auxiliary now has 20 members. Those who would like to be a part of this volunteer group should contact Belanger at 207-364-3648.
The first hospital fair was held in 1936 at the Town Hall auditorium. The goal was for the auxiliary to provide one large fundraising activity for the hospital.
The auxiliary has held annual hospital fairs for about half a century. For five years, beginning in 1993, the group held hospital bazaars. Since then, the auxiliary has held annual yard sale fundraisers for the hospital.
Over the years, money from the auxiliary have provided important items, including an Ohio transport incubator; Lifeline units; audiology testing booth; patient care units; equipment for the maternity department; a VCR and films for the education department; an operating room surgical patch machine; blanket warmer; birthing tub; art work for the John Welch wing; student scholarships; and contributions to Rumford Hospital Annual Appeal.
Becky Hall, left, vice president of nursing, and Peter Wright, president of Rumford Hospital, address the hospital’s auxiliary Friday morning to mark the group’s 95 years of service in support of the hospital. Bruce Farrin/Rumford Falls Times photo
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