Keokuk Area Auxiliary
“TAKING TIME TO CARE”
During the Civil War, the U.S. General Hospitals were established in Keokuk at the Estes House, Medical College, Simpson House, Rices Hardware Store, and the Public School. The Annie Wittenmyer home at 11th and Blondeau played a huge part in providing supplies to the hospitals and could be considered the first Auxiliary. They closed after the war and Keokuk was left with school clinics, dispensaries, and the Poor House for the ill and aged.
Keokuk residents realized the Poor House was inadequate to care for the sick; so, ordinary citizens like: John Fyffe, Dr. Hughes, and Rev. Shaw started a movement in 1875 to establish a hospital. Fortunately, Keokuk became one of the first cities in Iowa to have a hospital: St. Joseph Hospital opened on June 23, 1886 and Graham Hospital on September 28, 1901, each with its own auxiliary. On October of 1975 the hospitals merged into Keokuk Area Hospital with an Auxiliary of the same name. Fred Shrimpton of St. Joseph Hospital “commented upon the importance of the new group functioning as a public relations agency for the new facility.” [minutes from August 6, 1975 of a joint meeting of St. Joseph Auxiliary and Graham Hospital Auxiliary]
The Keokuk Area Hospital Auxiliary and Volunteers currently have 103 Inservice Volunteers staffing the Gift Shop, Information Desk, Surgery Waiting Room, Flower and Mail Delivery, Hospitality Cart, Lab Desk, Patient Representatives, and the Foundation Courtesy Cart. An average of 10 volunteers attend to the service areas daily to further the Auxiliary mission to promote the interest and welfare of the hospital and the hospital mission, “KAH CARES”. In the year 2010, the total Auxiliary membership is 240.
The Gift Shop’s sales, dues, bridge-o-rama, Hour 360 baby photos, Tour of Homes, and donations generate the income to fund $6000 of scholarships annually for area residents studying to become nurses. The Auxiliary also participates in the IHERF (Iowa Hospital Education and Research Foundation) healthcare career scholarship fund. It is designed to fill specific Iowa hospital workforce shortage needs.
Additionally, the Auxiliary budgets $3500 to spend in the hospital departments above and beyond the annual Tea and Bazaar or our even numbered year’s Kardiac Kapers. The Auxiliary donated $44,306.53 to the OB remodeling project. Since 1977 the Auxiliary has invested $857,281.78 in the hospital thanks to the invaluable time and interest by members and volunteers. We are very proud of the Keokuk Area Hospital Auxiliary and its long history of “Taking Time to Care” validated each day in Keokuk, Iowa.
If youi would like additional information about the KAH Auxiliary, please email Pam Beaird, Volunteer Services Director at pam@kah.kahnet.com