McLaren Vale & Districts War Memorial Hospital is well supported by a dedicated group of volunteers. These are all drawn from the community and fulfil a variety of roles. The group has its own elected committee which organises the various roles and functions undertaken.
These roles vary from setting out vases of flowers in patients rooms, staffing the hospital shop and patients tea trolley to accepting, pricing and selling all manner of goods in the hospital Op Shop, organising and staffing social functions for members of the community and running large “garage sales” at the hospital during the year as well as a “craft fair” at a community location.
Many of the craft items sold at the fair are actually hand made by volunteers who meet each week as a group to create, design and make the various items. Other Volunteers will undertake various craft roles at home whereby they may knit, crochet or embroider items for sale in the hospital shop.
One of the more unusual roles the volunteers undertake each year is cleaning out stables, toilets, bars and other facilities at the Wayville Showgrounds following a young farmers expo held during the July school holidays.
On an average year the volunteers can expect to raise around $70,000-00 much of which is used to purchase various items as requested by the Hospital Management Board. These can range from simple items such as over way tables across a patients bed to much larger items such as a new hospital switch board or a cool room for the hospital kitchen.
Members of the public can donate household goods, books, manchester, toys, furniture and any other items suitable for re-sale. These can be delivered to the Manning Wing section of the hospital at any time or they should follow the signs through hospital entrance 3 to the “Op Shop”.
This Op Shop is open to the public every Monday and Thursday between 09.30am and 12.30pm. Collection of large donations can be arranged via the Volunteers Co-ordinator – telephone 8323 6617
Working bees are held from time to time to help maintain the buildings, gardens and grounds and also with general housekeeping. Any person wishing to help can contact the Op Shop, hospital reception or phone 8323 6617 with their name and contact details and they will be included in the working bee group.