Vivian Kelby, left, a more than 41-year member of the Franciscan Health Crown Point Auxiliary, receives from auxiliary president Carolyn Meinbresse a pin honoring the 34,000 service hours Kelby has provided since joining the group, the most served by a present member. The Crown Point resident has served in numerous areas, among them the x-ray department, the information desk and these days in the gift shop, which raises the most money each year of the auxiliary’s numerous fund-raisers.
Kelby also has made handkerchiefs, Christmas stockings and bonnets for newborn babies for some 35 years. Other auxiliary members received honors for hours totaling 100 and above. The volunteers, through various activities, annually raise tens of thousands of dollars that is given to the hospital for equipment purchases and other services. Barbara Anderson, hospital president and CEO, told the members, “You may not operate our highly sophisticated medical equipment, but you perform many duties that in the long run are just as important, in the overall scheme of things. Duties no machine can match.”
