Betty Stout, member of the McLeod Dillon Volunteer Auxiliary, has accepted the position of Chair of the Coastal region for the SC Association of Hospital Auxiliaries (SCAHA). Beginning Fall of 2014, Stout will serve a two-year term. In this role, Stout will serve on the SCAHA Board, serve as a liaison for all hospital auxiliaries in the coastal region, coordinate the annual spring workshop and attend the bi-annual conferences.

The mission of the SCAHA revolves around service. The mission states that service is the keystone of the SCAHA, enabling Hospital Auxiliaries is, and volunteers, to maintain the highest standards in health care to their hospitals and communities. The purpose of SCAHA is to provide aid and assistance to member Auxiliaries to accomplish their individual missions in their respective hospitals through educational workshops, seminars and mentoring by qualified personnel. The SCAHA member Auxiliaries are unified through the promotion of statewide programs that improve the health and quality of life of citizens of South Carolina.

The creation of a state-wide association for hospital Auxiliaries dates back to the late 1970s. The SCAHA was born in February 1981. The goals of the SCAHA are to promote mutual exchange of ideas; stimulate interest in present Auxiliaries and to assist in the organization of new Auxiliaries; assist in developing new service programs in and for our hospitals; develop cooperative working relationships with other state and national organizations of similar interest; provide education opportunities for Auxiliary leadership; expand knowledgeable Auxilians to accept roles on the health care team; and to provide the opportunity for Auxiliaries to improve by way of networking opportunities.

Stout has been a member of the McLeod Medical Center Dillon Volunteer Auxiliary since 2008. She currently serves as the Ways and Means Chairperson, a position she has held since 2009.

The McLeod Medical Center Dillon Auxiliary promotes the hospital through its volunteer efforts. Volunteering many hours per month, they operate the Pink Dogwood gift shop and give of their time at hospital functions, in the Cardiac Rehab Department, in the hospital’s front lobby welcoming visitors and at Red Cross blood drives among many other events throughout the year. Proceeds from the gift shop and several other annual fundraisers have been used to purchase state-of-the-art medical equipment and other items that enhance patient care for McLeod Medical Center Dillon. The Auxiliary members have established a scholarship fund to encourage deserving individuals in Dillon County to further their education in health-related careers.

For information on joining the Volunteer Auxiliary, please contact the Administration Office of McLeod Medical Center Dillon at 487-1381.