DON'T FORGET! 
The Rotary district governor is scheduled to visit Blair Rotary on Tuesday, Sept. 29! Carve out room in your calendar for this meeting! 
 

Bargains give MCH a boost 

Speaker: Karen Baker, MCH Auxiliary
 
Karen Baker of the MCH Auxiliary spoke about the annual rummage sale at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Arlington. The sale just completed its 58th year. The first year of the sale generated $447 over two days for the hospital; the 2014 sale raised $58,000.
 
The Auxiliary's Winter Gala raised $22,000 in 2014. The fundraisers help MCH purchase items that aren't in its budget. This year, the proceeds will go toward the purchase of telemetry devices. The Auxiliary also operates Auxiliary Closet, a thrift store, and the gift shop at Memorial Community Hospital. 
 
"We're really just blessed to have a great amount of people," Baker said. 
 
The Auxiliary sponsors six scholarships per year for students pursuing careers in health care, and also helps people in need, like victims of house fires. 
 
Baker said that second-hand sales on Facebook pages like Blair Swap have affected sales at Auxiliary Closet, which is particularly difficult for stores like theirs and Joseph's Coat, which give proceeds to causes in the community. 
 
"Blair Swap has had an impact on us," she said. "We notice it most in the toy department. We're the ones keeping the money here."
 
Past presidents recognized
 
Blair Rotary past presidents received awards in recognition of their service: Denise Dein, 2012-13; Dave Ladwig, 2013-14; and Terry Dutton, 2014-15.