Fifty years of helping others

By Kevin Woodhouse, August 30th, 2012

When a married couple or a municipality reaches the milestone of attaining the 50 year mark, a joyous celebration is usually in order and for the Lakeshore General Hospital Auxiliary that has been dutifully serving the West Island populace, this coming September will be no exception as the auxiliary prepares its five decades of service to others.
With almost 300 volunteers who range in age from 18 to 80, the Lakeshore General Hospital Auxiliary began its operations even before the construction of the hospital in 1965 when early auxiliary members sold crafts at a gift shop in Stewart Hall.  Since that time, the auxiliary has raised $ 3 million for the hospital, contributing to such items as ultrasound equipment and specialty beds.
"It's a labour of love,'' said LGH Auxiliary president Barbara Armbruster who has held the post for the last two and a half years . "Not just for me, of course, but for all of the men and women who donate up to 44,000 hours of their time in a given year.”
'There will always be volunteers,'' noted Armbruster. "Because it fulfills a need in each of us to extend the borders of who we are by helping others. Those who can, do; those who can do more, volunteer!" 
Besides raising money for the hospital's immediate needs, over the years the auxiliary has also given back to nurses in training through bursaries as well as helping out other organizations like the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the MS Society with their fundraising functions.
Also, the auxiliary helps a total of 19 services within the Lakeshore Hospital such as taking patients to appointments or working at the gift shop.
The LGH Auxiliary will celebrate 50 years of operation on Wednesday, September 12, 2012 at the Dollard des Ormeaux Civic Centre and the event begins at 11:30 a.m.n