The giving spirit continued for the Sequim-Dungeness Hospital Guild prior to Christmas.
The all-volunteer group, which takes in donated items at its Sequim Thrift Shop to support local medical-related agencies, donated $26,000 at the group’s annual volunteer luncheon on Dec. 13 in Olympic Theatre Arts’ Gathering Hall.
The group makes donations twice a year to different agencies and now has given more than $2.41 million, according to guild treasurer Patty Christy.
One of the guild’s original members, Emma “Em” Hutchins, was in attendance at the event and said it means a lot to her to see the group still going strong since its 1970 inception.
“It makes my heart full,” she said. “The power of Sequim is here.”
The group presented ceremonial checks worth $10,000 to Clallam County Fire District 3, $10,000 to Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County, and $6,000 to the Sequim Police Department.
The donation to the police was a first for the guild. Police Chief Mike Hill said the funds helped the department purchase three automated external defibrillators (AED). Now each of the 22 commissioned officers has an AED in their patrol vehicle, he said, and they’ve used the AEDs twice in the last few months.
“People are getting faster care more often,” Hill said. “(Our officers are) on patrol 24/7 and those first two or three minutes are the most critical and (AEDs) help us stabilize them for Fire District 3.”
Lisa Palermo, development director for Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County, said the funds they received from the Guild will support purchasing new mattresses, hospital beds, and other needed medical supplies.
Guild members said they’ve given $60,000 to Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County so far.
The Guild’s latest donation to the fire district puts their total at more than $840,000 through the years.
Fire district staff said they’ve purchased an ultrasound machine for community paramedic Mark Karjalainen’s vehicle and his training for the device.
Fire district leaders hope to add the machine to each vehicle in the future to help determine issues, such as blood in the stomach, and the severity of specific situations and whether patients should be treated locally or transported for more specialized treatment.
Previous Gazette stories report the Guild started hosting luncheons, auctions and card game fundraisers in the 1970s. The guild purchased the thrift shop on Bell Street in 1979.
They’ve also helped support Olympic Medical Center, Dungeness Valley Health and Wellness Clinic (Sequim Free Clinic), nursing scholarships at Peninsula College and other community health agencies.
Guild members said medical/health agencies apply for donations and the Guild’s membership vote on donations.
Post Covid-19, the Guild shifted from consignment items to donations only.
The Thrift Shop, located at 204 W. Bell St., is open from 10 a..m. to 4 p.m. Thursday-Saturday on the first and third weekends of each month. Volunteers accept donations from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. each Monday and Tuesday.
For more about volunteering and the Guild, call 360-683-7044, email sequimdhg@gmail.com or find the Thrift Shop’s page on Facebook.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash Sequim-Dungeness Hospital Guild president Deborah Carlson presents a $10,000 ceremonial check to community paramedic Mark Karjalainen with Clallam County Fire District 3 for an ultrasound machine in his vehicle, and to pay for his training on the device. Pictured are Capt. Kolby Konopaski, left, and Fire Chief Justin Grider.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Sequim-Dungeness Hospital Guild president Deborah Carlson presents a $6,000 ceremonial check to Sequim Police Chief Mike Hill, City Manager Matt Huish and Deputy Police Chief John Southard for automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Lisa Palermo, development director for Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County, accepts a $10,000 check from Sequim-Dungeness Hospital Guild president Deborah Carlson to purchase new mattresses, hospital beds, and other needed medical supplies.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Community paramedic Mark Karjalainen with Clallam County Fire District 3 demonstrates on Dr. Paul Craven, medical program director, how a new ultrasound machine will help him in the field. Holding a microphone is Fire Chief Justin Grider for the Sequim-Dungeness Hospital Guild who donated $10,000 for the device and training.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Sandra Berryhill-Huish, vice-president of the Sequim-Dungeness Hospital Guild board, thanks Thrift Shop volunteers at the group’s annual luncheon on Dec. 13 in Olympic Theatre Arts.
