RANDOLPH, Vt.—The Gifford Medical Center Auxiliary, which has served as a major driver of the hospital’s development since 1906, today presented Gifford leadership with a check for $25,625, representing the final payment on a $1 million gift.
Originally pledged in 2013 to support Gifford’s $5 Million “Vision for the Future” campaign, over the years the $1 million gift has funded building and other projects across the organization. It fueled development of a new Menig Nursing Home in Randolph Center, the creation of private patient rooms, and relocation of Gifford’s renowned Birthing Center.
“We’ve long said that our people are our greatest asset at Gifford, and our Auxiliary members are a shining example,” said Gifford President and CEO Dan Bennett, who accepted the final payment during a brief meeting outside the Auxiliary Thrift Shop adjacent to the medical center. “I am humbled by their spirit, dedication and generosity, as well as by their unstoppable work ethic. Their gift has enabled Gifford to grow and enhance the level of care we provide our patients and community. We are deeply grateful.”
The Auxiliary raised 100 percent of the gift through sales at their popular shop, the success of which Auxiliary President Mary Floyd attributes to teamwork.
“We have an excellent partnership with Gifford and an amazing team of volunteers at the shop—it takes over one hundred volunteers a month to cover the cashier and greeter positions alone,” said Floyd, a retired teacher and former business owner who has served with the Auxiliary for about 10 years. “The shop is an interesting and rewarding place to be. Our work is made possible thanks to our customers and, of course, the many community members who donate items are tremendously important.”
Ashley Lincoln, director of development at Gifford, originally asked for the $1 million gift to support Gifford’s Vision for the Future campaign.
“I serve as the liaison between the hospital and the Auxiliary, and have so much respect and admiration for these volunteers,” said Lincoln. “I was nervous to ask for a gift of that size, our largest ever, but as always, our Auxiliary came through for us. Each and every member has our heartfelt thanks.”
While the $1 million gift is the largest to date, the list of the Auxiliary’s contributions to Gifford and the community over the years is long and far-reaching. In the early days, members hosted square dances and harvest balls, sold refreshments at horse shows, made and mended hospital linens, kept a cow to provide milk for patients, and spearheaded countless other initiatives. Since 1977, Auxiliary members have donated thousands of hours and over $1 million through their separate “Wish List” fund, a program which has provided hundreds of items requested by providers and staff across the medical center, from the Birthing Center to the Emergency Department to Radiology. This year the Auxiliary awarded 13 scholarships to high school seniors who plan to go into the medical field. And, most recently, the group pledged $200,000 to support the new Women’s Health Center at Gifford, slated for completion in December.
Anna Dustin, a retired nurse who has volunteered with the Auxiliary for nearly 40 years, is proud of the gifts made possible by the success of the thrift shop as well as the impact on community.
“I love it,” she said. “The experience of shopping here is therapeutic for so many people, and as a volunteer it’s wonderful to see the gratitude.”
For more information about the Auxiliary, visit giffordhealthcare.org/volunteering, email Ashley Lincoln at , or call 802-728-2380.
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Reminder during COVID-19: All Gifford clinics are open. We encourage patients to schedule and keep their medical appointments. It is vital that we continue to provide care and treat members of our community so that medical conditions do not escalate. If a patient does not have a mask upon arrival for an appointment, Gifford will provide one. For more information about COVID-19 and answers to frequently asked questions, visit giffordhealthcare.org/coronavirus-covid-19, cdc.gov or healthvermont.gov.
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Gifford is a community hospital in Randolph, Vt., with family health centers in Berlin, Bethel, Chelsea, Randolph, Rochester, and White River Junction; and specialty services throughout central Vermont. A Federally Qualified Health Center and a Top 100 Critical Access Hospital in the country, Gifford is a full-service hospital with a 24-hour emergency department and inpatient unit; many surgical services; a day care; two adult day programs; and 30-bed Menig Nursing Home, which was named by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best 39 nursing homes in the country in 2012. The Birthing Center, established in 1977, was the first in Vermont to offer an alternative to traditional hospital-based deliveries, and continues to be a leader in midwifery and family-centered care. The hospital’s mission is to improve individuals’ and community health by providing and assuring access to affordable, high-quality health care in Gifford’s service area.
