The Mercy Hospital Fort Scott Auxiliary Volunteers received a Gold Award of Excellence at the Hospital Auxiliaries of Kansas (HAK) Convention held in Kansas City on September 7. The award is the state’s top honor for hospital auxiliaries that have demonstrated service and commitment to their hospitals and communities.

Auxiliaries who earn this prestigious honor must meet 21 criteria set up by the HAK such as participating in health-related community service activities, giving direct service to the hospital and contributing to health career scholarships.

Mercy Auxiliary holds a variety of fundraising events annually to raise money to purchase small equipment items for the hospital. In 2018, $22,573.88 was given. They also offer five $200 scholarships for students going into the medical field at Fort Scott Community College each semester.

This past year Auxiliary members volunteered 9,214 hours. Auxiliary members are usually the first person a patient sees when they walk in the door, and often times the last person they see. They are an integral part of the hospital, and we are very thankful to have such a dedicated and hard-working volunteer team!