Blue Bird Auxiliary Provides Volunteer Support at Methodist Hospital, Methodist Children’s Hospital, Methodist Heart Hospital and Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital
WHAT: In 1920 a small group of members of Laurel Heights Methodist Church founded the Blue Birds of Laurel Heights. The group grew, supporting the activities of the church. In 1960 when the dream of a Methodist hospital for San Antonio was becoming a reality, the group voted to become the Blue Bird Auxiliary of Southwest Texas Methodist Hospital. The Bird Birds now number approximately 400 in membership and since 1960 the men and women in the group have contributed millions of volunteer service hours on behalf of Methodist Hospital.
Three charter members of the group, all of whom still volunteer at the information desk, will be honored. Service awards will be presented and new officers will be installed.
Blue Bird members are involved in more than 50 areas of service to hospital patients and visitors, including working at the information desk and in admitting, the surgery waiting room, the children’s emergency department and the gift shop. Others work at home making caps, blankets and holiday stockings. The auxiliary also is involved in a variety of fund raising activities and has contributed over $2.8 million to the hospital for the purchase of equipment and for construction projects (prior to the hospital becoming a for-profit entity in 1995). In addition to the gift shop, the Blue Birds also operate a hair salon on the 10th floor of the hospital. Membership in the Blue Birds is open to individuals interested in service and fellowship.
WHEN: Friday, May 21. Social at 11 a.m. Lunch and program at 11:30 a.m.
WHERE: Oak Hills Country Club, 5403 Fredericksburg Road
STORY IDEA:
Charter members of the Blue Birds will be available for interviews. Maxine Haas, Barbara Ringen and Connie Benson have been with the Blue Birds since the beginning. They can discuss why helping others is so rewarding to them and reminisce about their experiences, from giving tours before Methodist Hospital opened and keeping deer out of the building to the delivery of the Hansen quads. They are proud of the growth of the hospital and the role they have played in this growth. “You feel like you are doing something important and you are here because you want to be,” said Ringen.