The Oct. 19 agenda for the Saskatchewan Health-Care Auxiliaries Association (SHAA) convention was compacted into a series of educational presentations, greetings from dignitaries, social events and awards programs.
The second day was dedicated to auxiliary business, but not before delegates enjoyed a yoga lesson with laughter, to get their morning schedule underway.
All convention events were staged at the Days Inn in Estevan with 74 members from around the province signing in.
Estevan’s St. Joseph’s Health-Care Auxiliary served as host and the arriving delegates were greeted by the local group’s co-presidents, Sharon Heinz and Nola Joseph as well at St. Joseph’s Hospital executive director Greg Hoffort, hospital board president Don Kindopp and Mayor Roy Ludwig.
Afternoon presentations were provided by St. Joseph’s dietary section manager and nutritionist Mark Pettitt (see this week’s issue of Southeast Lifestyles) and social worker and community volunteer Deanna Brown.
SHAA provincial president Esther Sigurdson from Herbert, welcomed delegates and spoke with the Mercury during the afternoon coffee break, about her role and the challenges the organization faces.
She said it was her second year at the helm and that she was attracted to her local auxiliary several years ago, and she got caught up in the spirit of volunteerism and the community.
“Actually, a local member conscripted me. She told me I really had no choice, so I accepted her invitation to attend a meeting and here I am,” she said.
The major challenge facing health-care auxiliaries in Estevan is a Canada-wide dilemma that most community service groups are facing right now … aging members and dwindling memberships. The local auxiliary is defying that adage, at least recently, with a small, but encouraging, influx of new members, but the situation around the province is one that does concern Sigurdson.
“The future of the provincial body is in question. Is there a role for a provincial body?” she asked rhetorically.
“Saskatchewan is a great place to live in, but it comes with a cost in terms of geography. I want to visit all our auxiliaries, but the mileage stands against us. And yes, we could teleconference and conduct webinars, but not all members are that savvy with computers.”
Sigurdson said as health budgets get cut, the fundraising work the auxiliaries do now, is needed more than ever, which makes the challenge rather ironic. Just when they are needed the most, they are becoming less able to answer the call.
But the auxiliaries are putting up a great fight against those odds with organizations, such as the one in Estevan, being able to increase donations and volunteer contributions, rather than see them diminish over the years.
“The health-care community really does rely on us more than ever, so we’ll keep at it as best we can.”
Sigurdson went on to say the rewards still outweigh the challenges insofar as their common goals “bring us together and we share that goal of care and compassion. Nobody here is doing it for personal gain or recognition. They’re doing it for their community,” she said, motioning toward the tables packed with delegates in the Days Inn Taylorton Room.
During the second half of the afternoon presentations, Brown, a social worker for the Family Resource Centre, and well-known community volunteer, spoke to the group about that very topic.
“There is no monetary value placed on volunteerism, their value is found in what they provide,” she said, just prior to her presentation.
“I know you don’t always like the fundraising jobs, because they can be difficult, but you do it so well,” she said with a smile.
The workload becomes intangible, she said, once you get immersed in the spirit of volunteerism as well as the systems.
“Getting the volunteer out there, into the community for face-to-face meetings with the public, is important. Technology has limited a lot of this face-to-face opportunity, so that has to be dealt with by the volunteers. Technology can be deployed and used effectively, but there is also a need to make those personal contacts,” she said.
The evening awards program also included an address from Estevan MLA Lori Carr plus some entertainment and a Dutch auction.
Next year’s convention and AGM will be held in Esterhazy.
