Seton Auxiliary plans and changes

When Seton Health/St. Mary's Hospital in Troy asked its Auxiliary to take part in a strategic planning process, the auxilians started by watching a National Geographic nature film on change.

They learned that even one small change can have a big effect on the environment. That, said Auxiliary president Carolyn Smith, energized the 200-member group to make changes to give their future a boost.

This is the perfect time for the Seton Auxiliary to begin planning for the future, she added: "As of 2007, we'll be celebrating our 100th anniversary!"

Five goals

Last spring, the Auxiliary's board of directors agreed on five objectives that committees of auxilians would explore over the summer:

1. increasing membership, recruitment and retention;

2. enhancing spiritual opportunities;

3. continuing to maximize fundraising;

4. optimizing Gift Gallery operations; and

5. revising the Auxiliary's structure to better engage members.

Making changes

For the first objective, a committee is examining the Auxiliary's current brochure and whether it should be changed, as well as debating the creation of new membership categories (such as student memberships) and activities or social events that might help to retain current members.

Other changes being considered under the five objectives are days of reflection or spiritual speakers for auxilians; adding, deleting or changing the current list of fundraising activities; purchasing a new computer system for the Auxiliary-run hospital gift shop and ordering supplies online; and creating more "member-friendly" bylaws.

For example, "we may change the number of members on the board or the way meetings are run," Mrs. Smith explained.

Ideas popping

The committees started their work in June, and reports are pouring in. Mrs. Smith noted that some of the committees' suggestions are being put into action already: for instance, the group working on fundraising decided to try sponsoring a day at Cohoes Music Hall.

Another suggestion that got an immediate thumbs-up was to make the annual Mass for deceased Auxilians and family members a more ecumenical memorial service so that non-Catholic hospital staff will feel comfortable attending.

"Some [changes] will take longer," Mrs. Smith cautioned, since "we want to create a document that will take us through the next 100 years."

Energy-making

Thus far, the group has been energized by the planning process.

"I'm really pleased," stated the Auxiliary president. "Every time I talk to someone, they say, 'We're really working hard!' This has been great for the Auxiliary -- a way to bring people together, to look at things differently."

She noted that the Auxiliary already raises about $100,000 a year for Seton Health/St. Mary's, with a commitment to raise at least $350,000 within seven years.

However, the group hopes that strategic planning will push that total even higher: "We do very well, but we want to better."

(The Auxiliary hopes to finish its strategic planning process by the end of 2006.)

(9/14/06) [[In-content Ad]]