KDH Auxiliary
The Kemptville District Hospital Auxiliary plays a crucial role at KDH, providing volunteers for every area of the hospital and raising funds for the direct benefit of our patients.
Founded in 1959, the Auxiliary’s mission is to provide volunteer service to KDH patients, promote good public relations and assist the hospital in providing quality community health care.
What our volunteers do
You will recognize our volunteers by their red smocks working all over the hospital: at the welcome desk in the emergency department and on the interim long-term care/convalescent care unit, where they help with serving meals, exercise sessions, crafts, music, cards and board games, and more. In addition, you will find Auxiliary volunteers making the hospital garden look beautiful. Auxiliary volunteers also operate the Coffee Bar and Gift Shop and provide comfort kits and comfort dolls for those who need them. We also have volunteers involved with the Pastoral Care Team.
The comfort kits contain everyday necessities like a toothbrush and toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, hand lotion, lip balm and a notebook. They also contain a book of puzzles and a pen to help patients pass the time enjoyably. The kits are available on an ongoing basis for any inpatients who need them and are just one example of the Auxiliary’s commitment to improving the patient experience at KDH.
Volunteer at KDH
Typically volunteers work for two to four hours at a time in the area of the hospital they choose. Prospective volunteers are asked to complete a Volunteer Application Form and have two references submit our Volunteer Reference Form. In addition, hospital volunteers must submit the results of a vulnerable sector police check and provide the results of a tuberculosis test as well as proof of immunization for certain communicable diseases. For more information, please email kdh_volunteer@kdh.on.ca.
How the Auxiliary raises money for the hospital
The Auxiliary has donated more than $1.8 million since it was founded in 1959. The Auxiliary raises funds for the hospital through the Coffee Bar and Gift Shop, memorial donations to the Tribute Fund (see above), and several events throughout the year. The Auxiliary’s major fundraising event is Hey Day, a giant garage sale held the second weekend in June.
The profits of all Auxiliary activities are used for the direct benefit of KDH patients, primarily through the purchase of essential medical equipment.
To learn more about the KDH Auxiliary, read Kemptville District Hospital Auxiliary Constitution and By-Laws.
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patients seen in the KDH ER last year
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“I would like to extend a sincere thank you to all the physicians, nurses, nursing aides, dietary, environmental services, lab, and diagnostic imaging staff, and many others who helped so much to make my stay in March so much easier for me. It was a worrying time for me and my family. There was not a single staff member at any time who did not make me feel more at ease and well cared for. I am still finding ways to cope with my condition and slowly but steadily improving with the regular support of my doctors and remain cautiously optimistic, but it looks like a long road ahead. I learned a lot while I was being cared for, particularly about the value of those small instances of human kindness. I wanted to express my appreciation for all the dedicated work everyone at KDH does.”
