Laabs Honored as HRMC Exceptional Auxiliary Volunteer of the Year
May 31, 2016
From left: Selma Laabs, Auxiliary Volunteer of the Year, poses for a photo at the annual HRMC Auxiliary Recognition Luncheon on May 23. Also pictured are Spillum (left) and Goldammer (second from right) and Laab’s daughters, who surprised her at the luncheon.
Huron, S.D. – Huron Regional Medical Center (HRMC) honored Auxiliary Volunteer of the Year Selma Laabs as part of the annual Auxiliary Recognition Luncheon on May 23, 2016, in the HRMC Legacy Plaza auditorium.
Howe joined the HRMC Auxiliary has logged more than 1,000 volunteer hours as a Pink Lady and serves weekly at the Central Tower information desk and volunteers for other duties as needed.
Jackie Spillum, who serves as president of the HRMC Auxiliary, announced Laabs as this year’s winner, reading from information provided by her daughters, “When Selma was able to fulfill her dream of working at the hospital, St. John Hospital was run by the Franciscan Sisters and she remembers Sister Basal showing her how to make a bed. According to Selma, it had to be smooth and nice and tight or you did it over again. Selma also learned the linen room had to have the sheets and pillow cases piled straight as an arrow so you could run a ruler down each side.
Since she began volunteering for HRMC in 2008, Laabs said it has been “like old home week, seeing so many people that were at the hospital when I was working here and they are still working at the hospital.”
Spillum and her copresident, Renee Goldammer, also reported that volunteers donated 5,778 hours to the hospital during 2015 and recognized Auxiliary volunteers achieving service milestones with a commemorative pin and flowers.
- Elaine Van Winkle, 100 hours
- Diane Wipf, 100 hours
- Eva Sande, 100 hours
- Harriet Fuerst, 1,000 hours
- Ruby Preston, 1,000 hours
- Betty Albright, 1,500 hours
- Jackie Butler, 1,500 hours
- Jean Hart, 1,500 hours
- Opal Houck, 1,500 hours
- Jackie Spillum, 1,500 hours
- Alene Johnson, 3,000 hours
- Laura Jones, 5,000 hours
Susan Fuerst and Marcella Larsen, auxiliary members who passed away during 2015, were also honored in memoriam.
During the luncheon, David Dick, HRMC president and CEO, also updated the group on activities happening at the hospital and thanked volunteers for their dedicated support.
The purpose of the Auxiliary is to promote and advance the welfare of HRMC by rendering service to patients and assisting with and contributing to charitable projects. As members of the Auxiliary, Pink Ladies volunteer daily, providing refreshments and assistance in hospital lounges, assisting visitors with hospital and patient information at the information desks and delivering floral arrangements to patients.
The Auxiliary also contributes to various projects at the hospital including equipment, furnishings and nursing scholarships. Funds are raised through annual events, gift shop/candy counter sales and membership dues. The group is always looking for more volunteers to help for a couple hours a week or whenever is convenient for the volunteer – men and women are welcome. For more information on HRMC’s Auxiliary or to volunteer, call 353-6565 or visit www.huronregional.org,
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