Our History

From the earliest days, the Auxiliary has been guided by a volunteer Executive Committee which oversees its operations and reports to its volunteers and to the hospital on its ongoing activities and accomplishments.

The Auxiliary has been an active organization in supporting the provision of health care services to the people of Pembroke and area for more than six decades. Established in 1960, the Auxiliary exists as an organization for the purpose of raising funds to enhance those services or pieces of equipment that are not funded by Ontario Health.  

Some of the Auxiliary's major fundraising milestones include: 

• February, 2001 - $500,000 pledge for the hospital’s Building Fund
• June, 2003 - The Building Fund pledge was increased to one million dollars and was fully paid off in 2009
• September 2004 - Local artist Helen Schruder generously donated her time and talents to create a historic rendition of Pembroke's hospitals from 1878 to the present. With a minimum "In Memoriam" donation of $100, recognition can be made on the mural board to honour a person or persons. This is managed by the Auxiliary. 
• June, 2010 - A new commitment of one million dollars was made towards the purchase of an MRI and was fully paid off in 2017. During this time, the Auxiliary also donated $75,000 to furnish a new birthing suite for the Maternal Child Care program on the fourth floor of the hospital and $50,000 was donated to the Satellite Dialysis Unit for the purchase of a renal chair. 

• October, 2012 - The Auxiliary began purchasing televisions for patient rooms and by December, 2017, a total of 81 televisions had been purchased. 
• May, 2017 - The Auxiliary began working towards payment of its latest commitment of $500,000 for orthopaedic equipment and upgrades to the hospital's Surgical inpatient unit.
• June, 2021 - The Auxiliary purchased 25 additional new televisions for patient rooms at a cost of $26,000. 
• June, 2021 - A new fridge for the Sunshine Gift Shop was purchased at a cost of $2,000.     
• June, 2022 - A new fridge for the Mural Café was purchased at a cost of $3,500.

BINGO – one of the most prolific fund raisers. The first hospital Auxiliary bingo was held in the spring of 1994. For more than two decades, the proceeds from weekly bingos have helped purchase hospital equipment including ultrasound machines, Intensive Care Unit monitors, telemedicine equipment, a CT scanner and an MRI.

The Sunshine Gift Shop – located since 2005 at the entrance to Tower B, is a great source of income for the Auxiliary. For 47 years it had been located at the entrance to Tower A. The Sunshine Gift Shop as it is now called is the pride of the Auxiliary with the uniqueness of the items for sale in this popular shop.

In March, 2004, the Mural Café opened on the ground floor of Tower B. It was first conceived as a suggestion to raise funds towards reaching the one million dollar goal at the time. Over the years, the café has become popular with the staff and the general public.