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Suburban Hospital Auxiliary
| History | Board Members | Events | Thrift Shop/Gift Shop | Yarns of Warmth |
The Suburban Hospital Auxiliary is a membership organization dedicated to supporting the hospital and staff. In recent years, the Auxiliary's support has helped establish many new programs, including The Family Resource Center on Aging, the Information Referral Service, Radiological Technology Services, and the Pediatric Center. Also, proceeds from the Annual Gala and the Golf Tournament have funded the NIH Heart Center at Suburban Hospital, The Emergency/Trauma Center, The Pediatric Center, the Joint Replacement Center, and patient information activities. The Auxiliary also has awarded many nursing scholarships.
Auxiliary members are very proud of the group's accomplishments and are actively involved as volunteers with the hospital. At its core, the Auxiliary is making a positive difference in our community.
The Auxiliary raises funds in several ways. The organization sponsors an annual Golf Tournament, manages the Hospital Gift Shop and shares in the operation of the Montgomery County Thrift Shop. The group also sponsors sales events at the hospital for items such as jewelry, linens, and books.
To Join
To become a member of the Suburban Hospital Auxiliary, active or supportive, please complete this application and return it with the nominal annual dues of $15 to:
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History of the Suburban Hospital Auxiliary
On May 22, 1942, a Certificate of Incorporation was approved by the State of Maryland creating the Suburban Hospital Association, Inc., an organization of citizens dedicated to providing a hospital for the Bethesda area. Ground was broken for the construction of the new hospital on April 6, 1943, and the first patient was admitted to Suburban Hospital in December 1943.
On April 21, 1943, Mrs. Walter E. Perry, then chairman of the Women’s Activities Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Suburban Hospital Association, received authorization from the Board for the formation of the Women’s Auxiliary of Suburban Hospital. Temporary officers, with Mrs. Perry as chairman, were elected to serve until a permanent organization could be set up. The Women’s Auxiliary adopted its by-laws and elected its first officers on April 24, 1944 as a permanent organization. Mrs. Perry was elected the Auxiliary’s first president and served until 1946 during which the groundwork was laid for a strong organization.
The Auxiliary has always combined the jobs of service and fundraising. In early years, they established the service areas and recruited volunteers to work on such committees as: social service, patient’s library, decorating, picture, hospitality, and grounds. Through cooperation of the Red Cross and the Auxiliary, Red Cross Gray Ladies were admitted in 1951 to serve at Suburban.
The Auxiliary expanded its horizons in 1950-51 by becoming a member of the Montgomery County Federation of Women’s Clubs – Class C and also became affiliated with the American Hospital Association. The Auxiliary became a member of the Maryland Association of Hospital Auxiliaries in 1951.
The Junior Volunteer Corps was organized in March 1944. For many years, only young ladies between the ages of 15 and 18 were trained to perform small helpful tasks, but now our group includes young men. The Auxiliary honored these volunteers with caps, letters, stripes, or charms in recognition of their hours of service to the hospital. (Today, volunteers ages 14 to 18 are incorporated into Suburban Hospital's overall volunteer corps.)
The Thrift Shop and Gift Shop
In October 1943, the Auxiliary helped establish a thrift stop in Bethesda as one of three participating agencies. Later, three other organizations were admitted. Over time, the Thrift Shop has continued to be a money-making activity of the Auxiliary.
It wasn’t until 1948 that the Hospital Gift Shop was opened as another source of regular revenue for the Auxiliary and a great convenience for patients, personnel, and visitors. Television and radio sets were made available to patients through the Gift Shop in 1950, as well as a gift cart service. Today, the Gift Shop is still a place where people are drawn in to look around. Please stop in anytime to see what is new in our shop!
Yarns of Warmth
Yarns of Warmth – The Auxiliary also sponsors the Yarns of Warmth project. Currently, there are approximately 44 persons contributing to this project. The project is a community wide effort to provide handmade knitted or crocheted blankets for critically ill patients within Suburban Hospital and for those undergoing chemotherapy in the Out Patient Oncology Department on Rockledge Drive in Bethesda. Persons interested in joining this effort or who would like more information, please contact Phyllis Donoghue.
Events
Today, the Auxiliary has both male and female members and is headed by President Phyllis Donoghue. One of the new and most important aspects of the Auxiliary is the constant dedication and support members render to Suburban Hospital. The dedication from participants and the financial support they accumulate is what the Auxiliary thrives on. The most recent activities hosted by the Auxiliary include the linen, jewelry, and handbag sales. In addition, members participate in fun events outside the hospital including an annual golf tournament. These are just some of the perks offered to Auxiliary members.
In 2010, the Auxiliary will hold the following events:
| Event | Date | Location |
| Books are Fun | February 18 and 19 | Suburban Hospital |
| Annual Tea | March 3 | Normandie Farm Restaurant |
| Jewelry Cares | April 12 and 13 | Suburban Hospital |
| Annual Meeting/Luncheon | May 19 | St. Mark's Presbyterian Church Hall |
| In the Bag | May 20 and 21 | Suburban Hospital |
| Ultimate Linen | June 24 and 25 | Suburban Hospital |
| Book and Gift Fair | September 9 and 10 | Suburban Hospital |
| Annual Golf Tournament | September 27 | Woodmont Country Club |
| Fall Luncheon | October | To be announced |
| Jewelry Cares | October 21 and 22 | Suburban Hospital |
Suburban Hospital Auxiliary Board Members 2009 — 2011
President: Phyllis Donoghue
1st Vice President: Ginger Silvers
2nd Vice President: Connie Ocelus
Treasurer: Renee Kuff
Assistant Treasurer: Pat Rhode
Recording Secretary: Connie Ocelus
Corresponding Secretary: Connie Ocelus/Sondra Brody
Non-Elected Board Members
Gift Shop: Sherry Pfeifer
Golf Tournament: Terri Boyd
Membership: Kevin J. Donoghue
Newsletter: Phyllis Donoghue
Special Events: Ellen Midlam
Thrift Shop Liaison: Eva Poulos
Vendor Sales: Jinny Hoffman
Assistant Vendor Sales: Minette Hillman
Executive VP, Suburban Hospital Foundation: Leslie Ford Weber
Director of Major and Planned Giving, Suburban Hospital Foundation: Shira Oler