Narromine Hospital Auxiliary news
IT’S been the Auxiliary’s pleasure to have witnessed the great standard that our Health Services Manager, Julie Kirk, has helped raise Narromine Hospital to over the last 18 months of her employment. The hospital management and up-skilled staff are a credit to us, and the virtual doctoring program is now running smoothly and efficiently.
Sadly, Julie is to leave us at the end of this month to take up a role in the Pacific Islands.
Covid kept our organisation lying low with fundraising last year. But we are thankful to Narromine Shire Council for allocating us a $1500 grant to fill the fundraising gap. Also, most recently, the Hospital Auxiliary raised over $800 in an Easter raffle, drawn last month, with winners Annette Treseder (1st) and Barb Lincoln (2nd). A big thank you to the Mudygalang Craft Group and Narromine Hospital staff who helped our Committee members sell tickets and make that raffle such a success.
On Friday, May 7th, we’ll be holding a Street stall and Mothers’ Day raffle at Kierath’s Square. A great prize is on offer – 4 hours of gardening labour by our wonderful Rob Eather – he will mow, edge, prune, clean gutters and even clean up and cart it away. Whatever the job he’s every gardening woman’s dream. You can be in for a chance to win his services for just $2 a ticket!
We only have a small membership, so any donations of cooking, crafts, plants or produce etc from the public would be most gratefully received!
Our next Meals-on-wheels run is from May 3rd to 9th. Our volunteer numbers are running low, so those who give their time are very appreciated. A recent Mealson-wheels newsletter read: “NSW Volunteering Australia data shows that volunteering is not snapping back, even as Covid restrictions lift, with the majority of volunteer programs not fully functional. It’s a worrying statistic.” Indeed it is because, especially in our small country towns, volunteering is vital!
I must ask a final question: Why, when we are all so worried about decreasing opportunities to have regular face-to-face contact with doctors, both in our hospitals and our Medical Centres, did I read this sign at Narromine Medical Centre recently: “Despite SMS reminders being sent out, 27 appointments last week were not attended and 108 last month?” It astounds me!