A powerful provision
When Betty Lajoie handed over a cheque for $1,000 to Annapolis East Elementary School principal Nancy Illsley she was thinking of the health and well-being of the children.
The money was from the Soldiers Memorial Health Auxiliary and Illsley said the donation will be well used.
“This thousand dollars is going to go in our Student Care Fund which looks after students who perhaps don’t have any lunch to eat, it can go towards breakfast, it can also go towards students who perhaps need some help with medical issues and so on,” said Illsley. “We’re so appreciative of the auxiliary for donating this to Annapolis East.”
Lajoie said the Student Care Fund might also pay for clothing such as ski pants and boots, the lack of which might keep a child from attending school.
Illsley said the care fund helps a lot of children.
“We have 430 students and it will certainly help each and every one because the breakfast program is universally free and is used by about a quarter of our students every day,” Ilsley said.
Because the fund is meant to foster the good health of students, it was a natural for the auxiliary to support.
“SMHA now stands for Soldiers Memorial Health (rather than Hospital) Auxiliary because we no longer raise money only for the hospital, but also for other healthcare-related groups in our community,” Lajoie said.
Every year the SMHA gives a $1,000 scholarship to a graduate of Middleton Regional High School who is pursuing health-care studies, and a $1,000 scholarship to a graduate of the Nova Scotia Community College’s Health Care Program.
Lajoie said most of the money donated to the hospital last year went to buy an Ultrasound Intracavity Probe costing $7,870. The machine is used for viewing ovaries, cysts, fibroids, ectopic pregnancies, and pelvic inflammation.
“We also purchased a new stove/oven for the Rehabilitation Services of Occupational Therapy,” she said. “It will be used for meal prep assessments for patients to determine safety at home prior to discharge.”
The auxiliary also provided new chairs for the medical department.
While the health auxiliary decided how to spend the money it raised, it was the public that supported them. A ticket auction in Nictaux raised $3,019.25. They raised funds through the Lighta-Bulb campaign at Home Hardware prior to Christmas. They held coffee parties, and as always, they earn money through the Carousel Gift Shop in the hospital lobby.
Lajoie said the Carousel’s annual Christmas sale is coming up Nov. 22 and 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“Anyone who wants to volunteer and have fun doing it is welcome to join our group,” said Lajoie. “We need you.”