Auxiliary has kept Troy hospital healthy

Ninety years ago, the Daughters of Charity working at Troy Hospital (later renamed St. Mary's) placed a newspaper ad asking for support and assistance in fulfilling their mission.

In response, 334 women -- many of them doctors' wives -- went to the Troy Library to sign up for what would become St. Mary's Hospital Auxiliary.

Nearly a century later, the organization, now called Seton Auxiliary, is still going strong. With about 260 members, the group has amassed some impressive statistics: More than $1.5 million raised for St. Mary's Hospital over the years...$500,000 of it in the past 10 years alone...and several male auxilians having added their names to the rolls.

Values held to

Seton Auxiliary strives to fulfill the core values of the Daughters of Charity religious order: respect, quality service, simplicity, advocacy for the poor and "inventiveness to infinity."

Today, auxilians raise money for St. Mary's, which has merged with Leonard Hospital to become the Seton Health System, by running the hospital gift shop, sponsoring sales and trips, and holding dinners and raffles. But back when the Auxiliary began, fundraising for the hospital took some unusual turns:

* There was the "Cosmovilla," a 1907 display of booths held at the Troy Armory, depicting flags and cultures of different countries and manned by auxilians dressed in appropriate costumes. The event netted a staggering $20,000.

* In 1911, the auxiliary presented "Stratford Town," a Shakespearean pageant. Members built a reproduction of a street in the Bard's British hometown of Stratford-on-Avon. The $4,000 raised was used to create a room at the hospital for injured National Guardsmen.

Services galore

In addition to fundraising, the auxiliary provided service to St. Mary's in other areas, from sewing hospital garments to visiting patients.

"Way back in the beginning, they were able to work with patients more than we do today," explained current auxiliary president Anita Svoboda. "During the Second World War, auxilians worked on the floors because the nurses went off to war."

Eventually, health regulations caused the auxiliary to turn strictly to fundraising. A phonathon was added to their list of activities in the 1970s; antique shows, card parties and flea markets became staple means of raising money.

Ideas to help

Auxilians still work in hospital offices, make kits of supplies for women recovering from mastectomies and even step out as models in a spring fashion show, but most of their duties involve working at fundraising events.

"We're always working on ideas," said Mrs. Svoboda. The auxiliary has held quilt raffles and book, tie and watch sales; jewelry sales and RIF (Reading is Fundamental) booths. The group sponsors boat rides, trips to New York City, shopping excursions and trips to the races in Saratoga Springs. On August 15, the winning horse in one race will sport a blanket reading, "Congratulations on your 90th anniversary, Seton Auxiliary."

Auxilian Betty Heitzman, a parishioner of St. Peter's Church in Troy, finds the annual picnic the group holds for retired women religious a happy event. "We really make their day," she explained.

Gift for gifts

Most importantly, auxilians volunteer to staff the hospital's gift shop, their main source of revenue. "The gift shop supports us," Mrs. Svoboda stated. "It raises at least two-thirds of what we give."

And give they do. During the past nine decades, the auxiliary has provided the hospital with such basics as sheets and towels, helped build a new kitchen, donated furniture for various hospital areas, and funded everything from x-ray machines to library carts and refurbishing boardrooms.

In more recent years, the auxiliary has made substantial gifts to the hospital: $100,000 toward a new operating room, $250,000 for an "Investment in Caring" campaign, $1,600 for poison control. More than $120,000 was donated in the past year and a half alone.

Members boast about their accomplishments: "For the child's clinic, we donated tapes and a VCR," said auxilian Rita Brunelle, a parishioner of St. Patrick's in Troy. "We've given money to the pediatric unit," added Kay McCarty, a St. Peter's parishioner.

Life's work

Auxilians are known for their loyalty to the organization. Several told The Evangelist they couldn't imagine life without their volunteer work.

"You know you're serving a purpose," said Mrs. Svoboda. "With the changing health situation, the hospital's going to be pressed more and more for finances."

"And there's enjoyment in it," added Miss Heitzman.

On May 15, the auxiliary's anniversary, "Auxiliary Day" was held at Seton, with a special Mass in the hospital chapel and a reception. It was a proud day for the auxilians.

Looking for more

Only one sad note mars the year-long celebration of the auxiliary's 90th anniversary: concern over whether new members will sign up in the future.

"The average age of members is in the 70s," explained Mrs. Svoboda. "It's a challenge, getting younger members so we don't literally die off."

Still, worries about membership haven't stopped the auxilians from planning future events. Next on the agenda are the first "drive-through" Brooks Barbeque in September and a Sept. 19 "gala" hosted by local TV anchor Chris Kapostasy.

"They're putting a new addition on the hospital," Miss McCarty remarked. "I'm sure we'll be involved."

(For more information on the Seton Auxiliary, call 272-2505.)

(06-26-97) [[In-content Ad]]