Frank McTighe, MACLEOD GAZETTE EDITOR | Posted on November 23 2022

Council presented the Fort Macleod Health Care Auxiliary Association with a certificate of appreciation. From left: Mayor Brent Feyter, Coun. Mackenzie Hengerer, Coun. Christina Fox, Ute Eremenko, Coun. Jim Monteith, Marilyn Roemer, Coun. Aaron Poytress, Cathy Parks, Edith Rigaux and Evelyn McTrowe.

Fort Macleod Health Care Auxiliary Association has supported health care in the community for 125 years.

Last week Fort Macleod council presented auxiliary members with a certificate of appreciation.

“The amount accomplished over the 125 years, I don’t think we will ever know,” Mayor Brent Feyter said.

Mayor and council presented the certificate during the Nov. 14 meeting at the G.R. Davis Administration Building.

Feyter noted the auxiliary is the oldest of its kind in Alberta and has provided a variety of equipment and enhancements to the health care centre since 1897.

Health care auxiliary members have shown dedication through world wars, the Great Depression, Spanish flu and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The aim and objective of the auxiliary remains to assist the health care facilities in the Fort Macleod area in providing quality care to patients.

The organization got its start in 1897 when a ladies’ aid society was formed to support the new Fort Macleod hospital.

Those early members sewed sheets, pillow cases, pajamas, towels, drapes and made other items for the new hospital.

When a new hospital was built in 1911 the auxiliary took responsibility for making special needs patients more comfortable with gifts of sweets and companionship.

When another new hospital was built the Hospital Aid was renamed Hospital Auxiliary, and members set about fund-raising by holding teas and bake sales and selling knitted items and treats in the hospital gift shop.

The auxiliary began accepting donations in memory of family and friends who had died, putting names on a plaque displayed at the hospital.

The auxiliary has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund equipment and other needs at Fort Macleod Health Centre.

The auxiliary was instrumental in getting six new care beds added to the health centre so people can heal closer to home, and to provide palliative care.

The auxiliary bought a bariatric bed, a machine for the wound clinic, warming closets for blankets, TVs, a portable dental cart, wheelchairs, bladder scanner, and ring cutter.

The group furnished an overnight room at the health centre for visiting locum doctors.

In 1993 the auxiliary introduced to Fort Macleod the Tree of Hope, a campaign for remembering loved ones during the holiday season.

Money raised through this project is used as a donation for a Saturday handibus service as well as provide two $1,000 scholarships to graduating F.P. Walshe school students entering post secondary education in the field of health.

The auxiliary assisted the Royal Purple with the purchase of a wheelchair swing for the special development unit.

The health care auxiliary also bought four outdoor benches for the Foothills Centre and two for the front entry of the health centre.

The next project is an “All Souls Garden of Love” at Fort Macleod Health Centre.

This is a wheelchair accessible patio for people using the care beds, which was partially funded by Lethbridge community Foundation.

The patio will be opened in June.

“I think it’s just amazing what this group has accomplished,” Feyter said.

Livingstone-Macleod MLA Roger Reid earlier this month presented the Fort Macleod Health Care Auxiliary Association with a certificate of appreciation from the province.

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