Nearly 47 years ago Emma “Em” Hutchins wrote the bylaws for the Sequim-Dungeness Hospital Guild. Since then, the guild has grown and given more than $2.1 million back to the Sequim-Dungeness community, including $21,000 recently donated at its annual luncheon on May 5.
Among the crowd of 165 attendees was Hutchins, admittedly “excited and proud” to see the organization she helped form in 1970 still going strong.
“When I look at this, I see what can happen when a group of women get together,” she said. “There’s a lot of strength here.”
Hutchins was among a handful of women that started the nonprofit aimed at raising funds to support community health and educational organizations, including Clallam County Fire District No. 3, Olympic Medical Center, Peninsula Community College’s School of Nursing, Dungeness Valley Health & Wellness Clinic and scholarships to local students for medical and EMT training. The guild gathers funds throughout the year through their all-volunteer thrift shop at 206 W. Bell St. Cards for Cardiacs and memorials, donations and membership dues.
It varies, but currently the guild has 78 active members, said Addie Curtis, Sequim-Dungeness Hospital Guild publicity chairman.
“With the donation this May of $21,000 our total to date given back to the Sequim medical community will be $2,055,000,” she said.
The $21,000 donation was split evenly among the Dungeness Valley Health & Wellness Clinic for services, Olympic Medical Center to go toward the purchase of a transport monitor and Peninsula Community College for the nurse scholarship program.
“Without organizations like this one, we wouldn’t be able to provide the services that we do for this community,” Rose Gibbs, Dungeness Valley Health & Wellness clinic director, said as she thanked the guild for its ongoing support.
Reflective of community’s support of the guild, guild president Jean Janis noted the annual luncheon held at 7 Cedars Casino sold out weeks before the event.
Every time new customers visit the Thrift Shop, they’re always “thoroughly amazed” at the guild’s accomplishments, Janis said, whose going into her 11th year as president.
Per tradition, guild members and Thrift Shop volunteers host a fashion show, modeling the clothing, jewelry, footwear and accessories available at the shop. The outfits range from casual to cocktail party chic. Coinciding with the lunch, fashion show and gift giveaway is a silent auction, also showcasing the range of items from the shop. Monies raised at this year’s silent auction trumped last year, totaling $4,075.
“Donating more than $2 million … that’s pretty amazing with just a little shop on the corner,” Mary Nesbitt, Thrift Show chairman, said. “We’re really pleased to have met that milestone.”
Because the Thrift Shop is volunteer staffed, the guild always is seeking new volunteers to help, Curtis said. For more information about the guild, Thrift Shop or to get involved, call 683-7044.
Reach Alana Linderoth at alinderoth@sequimgazette.com.
