The Coober Pedy Hospital Auxiliary (The Auxiliary) was formed by volunteers primarily to assist with purchases required for the comfort of the patients, visitors and staff at the hospital.
In 1971 4 women, Anita Brown, Dee Atkinson, Margaret Wake and Faye Naylor came together with the intention of forming an organisation with the express purpose of raising funds specifically for the local hospital. A meeting was held on the 10th August with each of the woman being encouraged to invite another 6-8 others to attend the meeting. With the additional numbers the next meeting was held on the 23rd August when a committee was elected and the Coober Pedy Hospital Auxiliary was formed.
The First Fundraising function
A ‘Cocktail Party’ was the First Hospital Auxiliary Fundraising event held on the Friday night of the Coober Pedy Race weekend. This event was always well attended and became an annual fundraiser for the Auxiliary and becoming one the Auxiliary’s signature events.
Another major source of fundraising income over the years was from the sale of a Local Coober Pedy Phone book. Auxiliary members diligently went through the white pages phone book identifying all Coober Pedy residents and then recording names and phone numbers into the local Coober Pedy phone book. This project took considerable hours but when published was always well received by the community.
Some other fundraising events over the years included: fashion parades, raffles, gambling nights, BBQs, Tupperware parties, competitions and dances and many more.
The First purchases made by The Auxiliary was a mattress for the maternity bed at a cost of $42.79. Very soon money was raised for a new St Johns ambulance. Over the ensuing years many purchases were made and ranged from medical equipment ie: crutches, hospital stretchers, hospital beds, X-ray developing machine to household items used for the outfitting of the nurses’ accommodation to toys, pyjamas and furniture for the patients.