Our History
Becoming the Auxiliary Society
In 1948, a small group of young women - several of them pregnant wives of overworked local doctors - got together with the momentous goal of raising funds to build a much-needed hospital in the White Rock/South Surrey area.
The closest hospital at the time was the Royal Columbian in New Westminster – quite a trek when you’re in labour!
Neighbourhoods at this time were mostly joined by dirt roads. This group of young women met in each other’s homes as they had to take care of young kids and the men kept taking the cars! Something about careers?
Unperturbed, this group of women, with their ambitious goal, went door to door collecting funds to start a community hospital. They asked people who wanted to donate to leave their porch lights on, so they knew which doors to knock on!
These women raised $1,000 which was the initial funding for the hospital and marked the beginning of the Peace Arch Hospital Auxiliary. The Auxiliary has flourished as a major source of funding for capital equipment and patient comfort for the past 75 years.
Their determination paid off. They raised $1000 for the hospital, and the first two groups of the Auxiliary were formed: Gage Park and Goodwill.
The White Rock Hospital Woman's Auxiliary was born.
Founding Peace Arch Hospital
In 1951 one of their members, Mrs. Amy Weatherby donated a 5-acre site for the new hospital and other citizens rallied with pledges of labour, trucks and money. 3 years of construction ensued, and the Auxiliary dutifully spent every minute drumming up support.
The hospital officially opened its doors in 1954. By this time, fundraising was booming and thirteen more neighbourhood groups had sprung up!
Informal groups and official Auxiliary groups were running myriad events and sales. The number of bake sales, dances, rummage sales, and country fairs was growing too fast to manage...
The first Auxiliary to own property
The Auxiliary's executive committee, made up of one member from every group, had a daring vision. They took a portion of proceeds from all their events and bought property for a thrift shop.
In 1959, it was reported as the first Auxiliary in Canada to own property. Called "a little gold mine", the Superfluity Thrift Shop has been a cornerstone of the community, and has grown into a hugely successful retail business, regularly funding large purchases at the Hospital.
In 1968, when a new wing was built at Peace Arch District Hospital, the Auxiliary opened a Gift Shop in the front entrance of the hospital. It was so successful that a new group was formed specifically to handle a key part of operations. Flower Power was formed in 1996 and is filled with volunteers with floral arrangement experience. This group singlehandedly makes every single bouquet gifted through the shop.
By now, the Auxiliary is 500 members strong. Retiring members are replaced by daughters, and the Auxiliary has become a family tradition.
Today
From the Auxiliary's heyday, demographics have changed. Women went to work full-time, and volunteering, in general, was left until retirement. Groups got smaller, but the hospital’s needs got larger.
Our best days are just getting started. The Auxiliary started by writing cheques for $100, but in 2008, the first $1,000,000 cheque was written for an MRI machine for the Peace Arch Hospital! The second $1,000,000 cheque came in 2009 for a new Maternity Wing. In the *same* year, a $3,000,000 cheque was written to contribute towards the new ER/OR expansion project. This was the Auxiliary's largest single contribution to date.
Then the COVID pandemic hit. Volunteerism is still on the decline, but fundraising needs are still growing. Unfazed, the Auxiliary adapted with style. Retirees and Executive board members started meeting over Zoom and Teams and started hosting virtual events to keep fundraising thriving. The Gift Shop and Thrift Shop both adopted E-Commerce and are bigger than ever.
Our numbers are still 185 strong, and our enthusiasm is greater than ever. As it becomes safer to host in-person events, we're hosting bake sales, craft sales, and trunk sales again. We're always seeking new avenues of fundraising, and are looking for corporate sponsorships.
We welcome everyone of all ages to join our vibrant and enthusiastic group of volunteers. Our Auxilians have the most fun! Promise.
Milestones in Photos
1948
The First Cheque
After years of campaigning and organizing, a group of 15 ladies secured funding for the Peace Arch Hospital project. A historic moment for the community, a world-class emergency and in-patient operating facility is slated for construction.
1948
The First Auxiliary Group
March 18, 1950, Vidal Street in White Rock, BC. The first location of the Superfluity Thrift Shop.
The cottage, donated by doctors Thomas Blades and Alan Hogg and Lawyer G.B.W. Fraser, faithfully served the Auxiliary for almost 30 years.
Then-president Diane Perrie and the board of directors approved the purchase of a tire shop on Prospect Avenue. On Feb 19, 1980, the new location opened for business.
Volunteers were asked to bring donations, and Perrie took the ties off every man at the opening and auctioned them off, raising $60!
1950
The Goodwill Group. The founding of this group marks the start of the group structure that runs the Peace Arch Hospital Auxiliary today.
The Superfluity Thrift Shop Opens
1954
The First Gift Cart
The Gift Shop today started as the “Comfort Cart”. The Dogwood group came up with the idea in 1954 and it was filled with candy, notions, and cigarettes. The cart was pushed from room to room, and in May 1955, it collected a grand total of $54.53.
In 1968, when the new extension to the hospital opened up, the Auxiliary spent $1,500 to set up a small corner shop next to the cafeteria.
In 1992, the hospital lobby underwent renovations, and the Gift Shop had a formal location. The bustling shop is still staffed solely by volunteers.
Still Making History
In 2019, we were recognized by the City of White Rock for our historic achievements, and our ongoing support for the Peace Arch Hospital. We intend to make the Peace Arch Hospital one of the best in the world, and to provide unparalleled care for its residents. Join us and help achieve that vision.
OUR OLDEST LIVED PRESIDENT
Links to the past
Ellen Margrethe (Michaelsen) Sinclair Kennett
August 17, 1929 - October 2, 2022
Ellen Sinclair Kennett was an amazing woman who was ahead of her time. She exuded kindness and was wholly committed to both the community and our hospital. Ellen was a proud lifetime member of the Peace Arch Hospital Auxiliary and served as its President from 1980 - 1984.
Ellen's participation in the Auxiliary was only part of what she accomplished. She was a shining example of volunteerism at its finest; she was engaging, vital, and incredibly knowledgeable. She served for over 12 years on the Peace Arch Hospital Board of Trustees and was the first woman to become Chair. She also served a two year term as the very first Peace Arch Hospital Foundation Board Chair from 1998-2000. Ellen was also one of the founders of the Seniors Come Share Society (now known as Brella), and she served on their Board for over 12 years. Being very committed to her church, she also served on the First United Council for over 20 years.
Always a trailblazer, when the national United Church was debating the ordination of gays and lesbians in the 1980's, Ellen was serving on the Council and Chaired the worship committee, and she held strong to the principles of compassion and inclusivity that welcomes gays and lesbians into the ordained ministry. During this time, she also provided tremendous support to one of the first female ministers to serve in the congregation when it was not acceptable to be a female minister.
Ellen had been a role model for over 50 years, most notably, to other women in leadership; she was the first woman at the helm of the Hospital Board of Trustees and one of the early female elders of the First United Church.
The Peace Arch Hospital Auxiliary has been blessed by Ellen's true inspiration as a volunteer and a community and hospital advocate. She worked tirelessly for the health and betterment of our community, and we are proud to call her one of ours.
A message from the president
The Peace Arch Hospital Auxiliary Society was formed in 1948 to raise funds in support of establishing a hospital in White Rock. Women in the community that were passionate about having a proposed hospital located in White Rock banded together and formed the first Auxiliary Group called Goodwill. They canvassed the White Rock community going door to door eventually raising $1,000.00 dollars in support of the hospital. In 1950 the Semiamhoo Group was formed and both these Groups are still active today raising funds for our projects.
In 2015 we made our largest single donation in our history of 1.5 million dollars to the Emergency Department Expansion. We are very proud to be the major donor for this campaign.