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A raffle draw this spring is giving Squamish residents a chance to support the Squamish General Hospital Auxiliary Society purchasing a new cast saw for the emergency department.
The new saw is a smaller, quieter electric saw designed to remove casts on children without the frightening noise of larger equipment. The saw costs $10,552, and raffle tickets are on sale now at three for $5, with cash prizes of $300, $200, and $100 up for grabs. The draw date is May 11.
“The big saws make too much noise, and the children get petrified,” said Julie Erb, president of the Auxiliary Society. “So they want a small saw, electric, that will cut without noise.”
Erb and the Society’s 35 members are out in the community selling tickets wherever they can. You might find them at the Legion’s meat draw, at downtown festivals, or at local spring events. “People are very generous to local charities,” Erb said. “We are everywhere.”
That kind of tireless presence reflects the broader dedication Erb brings to the role. A retired RN who moved to Squamish from Toronto 21 years ago, she worked at the hospital before retiring and has volunteered with the Auxiliary ever since. As president for the past decade, she estimates she puts in roughly eight hours a day, including weekends, handling everything from placing equipment orders to personally sending thank-you emails to every donor.
“Sometimes I think it’s 24-7,” she said. “But I love it, you know. I love what I do.”
The Society fundraises year-round through a variety of efforts. Members who prefer to work from home contribute by knitting and crocheting goods that are sold at events or in the hospital gift shop. Others work shifts at the shop from 9 a.m. to noon, or noon to 4 p.m., and head out on weekends to sell tickets at community events. All money raised goes directly toward equipment and improvements at Squamish General Hospital.
After the cast saw, Erb said the group plans to turn its attention to needs of the hospital lab, and Hilltop House, which requires specialized tables. It is a revolving list, Erb explained, because there is always more to be done.
Plaques outside the hospital gift shop detail the equipment the Auxiliary has purchased, including new patient tv’s, an ultrasound machine, and extra training for hospital staff, just last year.
“It’s impressive, isn’t it?” said Erb as she gestured towards the pillar where the plaques proudly hang for all to see.
For Erb, the work has always been personal. The small-town feel of Squamish General was a welcome change from the large hospitals she knew in Toronto, and it drew her in from the start. “I love my hospital,” she said. “It’s like a family to me.”
Raffle tickets are available at upcoming community events, and always at the hospital gift shop. The draw takes place May 11th.
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