Griffith Base Hospital Auxiliary president Bruna Ross, vice-president Blue Menzies, secretary Pat Cox, assistant secretary Cheryl Wilson, treasurer Evelyn Cunial and assistant treasurer Neroli Arnold. Photo: Facebook.
The president of a longstanding volunteer group that raises funds to support Griffith Base Hospital has quashed accusations that equipment they buy is quietly transferred to Wagga.
Bruna Ross leads the Griffith Base Hospital Auxiliary. She said it was upsetting to hear social media rumours that undermined the good work her group had been doing since the 1930s.
“No money from Griffith Base Hospital Auxiliary has ever gone to Wagga, Albury or anywhere else,” she said.
“It’s always spent locally and it stays in the hospital. It’s never transferred elsewhere.”
The 77-year-old president is the granddaughter of Valentino Ceccato, a pioneer of the town known for the support he gave legendary Griffith hermit Valerio Ricetti. Her mother worked for the auxiliary and she has led the group for eight years.
“If Griffith people think they’re money is going to Wagga, they’ll stop supporting us. But it’s not true,” she said.
Several people who responded to a recent council survey alleged that Wagga was benefiting from Griffith fundraising. A post on social media claimed a Wagga Base Hospital patient saw a “donated by Griffith” sign on equipment.
“That was from another group, not us, and it happened more than 20 years ago,” Ms Ross said.
She explained the rigorous process employed by the auxiliary.
“What generally happens is that when the hospital needs equipment, they put in a request to the Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD). If it’s approved, they come to us with what they need. If it’s then approved at our meeting, they order it and hand us the invoice. We pay the amount on the invoice and have a plaque put on it.
“We have bought equipment like Dictaphones for the specialist clinics, a sara flex hoist for lifting people for physio and orthopaedic chairs.”
Ms Ross also put to bed rumours that her group had been forcibly pushed out of the new hospital.
The Griffith Base Hospital Auxiliary used to run a kiosk at the old hospital site, selling food to staff and visitors and using the profit to buy equipment.
But this venture no longer operates at the new hospital, which runs its own cafeteria.
“I can understand them wanting to have a cafeteria. We are all volunteers aged up into our 80s, the cafe is open from 7 am in the morning and stays open until the night. It would be too much for us to cover all the hours,” Ms Ross said.
“It’s also really hard to make a profit from selling food.”
The auxiliary continues to run a small shop at the new hospital that sells crafts, toiletries and newspapers.
Ms Ross said it was important people continued to support her group, which was first formed by doctors’ wives almost a century ago.
“Since I’ve been involved with the auxiliary in 2018, we’ve donated more than $250,000 to all sections of the Griffith hospital,” she said.
“But we are struggling to get new volunteers. We need more young people as our youngest members are in their 60s.
“If we have to close up, all the money in our account will go to the closest auxiliary, which is in Leeton. Then Griffith will really miss out.”
She urged the public to support the auxiliary’s fundraising efforts in the lead-up to Christmas.
“We are having a street stall selling cakes and slices at Kooyoo Plaza on Friday 12 December,” she said.
“We are selling raffle tickets for three weeks from 1 December. The first week will be outside Camera House, the second week outside Dodd’s Pharmacy and third week Bloom’s Pharmacy.”
If you want to support the Griffith Base Hospital Auxiliary through donations or by volunteering, message members on its Facebook Page.
