St. Mary's Gift Shop on Oct. 5 donated $10,500 to St. Mary's Foundation for the hospital to use for equipment and patient care services. The funds represent income over expenses for the store in the preceding fiscal year. The store is operated by volunteers from St. Mary's Hospital Auxiliary with management provided by St. Mary's Gift Shop Manager Angie Patterson.
"We are always deeply grateful to our Auxiliary for the tremendous level of support they provide to our health care ministry and the patients we serve, especially those most vulnerable,” said Foundation Director Aaron James. “The funds are helpful, of course, but what matters most is the commitment and selflessness demonstrated every day by these wonderful volunteers.”
“The Gift Shop was one of the few service lines that we were able to stay involved with through the worst of the COVID pandemic,” said Betty Stoker, who served as Auxiliary president over the 2021-22 fiscal year. “One of our Auxiliary members, Faye Martin, continued to create her beautiful flower arrangements at home and would bring them to the hospital to fulfill orders taken over the phone by Angie. We are thrilled we have been able to fully return to the hospital and that we are able to make this donation.”
“Our Gift Shop provides much more than the items typically found in a hospital gift shop,” Patterson notes. “Yes, we have balloons and cards, but Faye’s floral arrangements are truly special, and we also carry designer clothing, handbags, jewelry, seasonal items, and even Georgia Bulldogs merchandise. I greatly missed our volunteers and am so happy to have them back. I love each one as my family.”
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