After 74 years of service to the Wagner Community Memorial Hospital – Avera, the hospital auxiliary will be dissolving as of February 26th at their final meeting. The Wagner Hospital Auxiliary was first established in January of 1951 with the only requirements for membership being paying yearly dues and having an interest in the hospital. The Tyndall Hospital Auxiliary helped the Wagner chapter establish their Constitution and By-laws, which included their mission statement. The mission of the auxiliary is to “be a united endeavor of the members to establish and promote the interests and general welfare of the Wagner Community Memorial Hospital.” The Wagner Hospital Auxiliary is one of only seven hospital auxiliaries left in South Dakota, the other units are Burke, Rapid City, Huron, Redfield, Mobridge and Aberdeen.

When the auxiliary first began there were 181 members and President Mrs. Marguerite Hall presiding over the organization. Membership dues were $2 for the first year and $1 for subsequent membership years. The very first project of the auxiliary was to clean the newly built Wagner Community Memorial Hospital in order for it to be ready for the grand opening on March 25, 1951. As the auxiliary is a service-based organization, since its inception they have fundraised with all money raised going back to the hospital towards a purchase or to purchase an item that the hospital was in need of. Early fundraising activities included folk and square dances, bazaars, manning a Labor Day stand and conducting subscription drives for the Wagner Post. Throughout the years the auxiliary has also hosted card parties, holiday teas, quilt raffles, event calendars, gave hospital tours to Wagner Community School first graders, made Sunday treats/favors for patient trays, started an infant/toddler car seat loaner program in the late 80s, hosted Tupperware parties and served brats.

The auxiliary was established during a time when women did not work outside of the home and there were not grants or money as readily available for much needed hospital equipment. Not only did the women get to volunteer and make huge contributions to the hospital, but it was a time to gather socially to catch up with friends or make new ones. In addition to the ladies raising funds for the hospital, they also volunteered. A roster of names was created of ladies that could be called upon in case of emergencies. The ladies would visit patients, relieve friends and family who had critically ill relatives in the hospital as well as provide support and comfort whenever needed to both patients and families. They even went as far as to have a committee that would visit patients every day of the week except Sunday, run errands and purchase supplies such as stamps for the patients. This became such a standard that the ladies purchased a small cart that they kept stocked with items that were often requested.

In 1956, the auxiliary started giving a $25.00 savings bond to the first baby born after New Year’s at the Wagner hospital. The very first recipient of the savings bond was Janice Renee Brooks of Lake Andes. This tradition continued for several years before the auxiliary changed the gift to a layette, which was a collection of newborn clothes and accessories. The practice of giving the firstborn baby each year a gift continued until 1995 with David Steven Cahoy being the last recipient.

As of 2024 the auxiliary had approximately 66 members, with only a handful of those members considered active in the organization. The dues are $5 a year and the meetings rarely last longer than 30 minutes with time to socialize and enjoy each other’s company afterwards.

When asked why the organization will be dissolving after 74 years of service, it was said that times have changed, people are busy and are not as interested in joining service organizations. Pearl Weber, the auxiliary’s president for the past ten years, has far exceeded her presidential term limits to keep the organization going as long as it has. She is sad about the dissolving of the auxiliary, but with no one wanting to take over the presidency that is the only current option. Pearl became the president after being approached and asked to fill the position. She joined after she retired because she wanted to continue to be social as well as give back to the hospital.

Even though at the end of the month, the Wagner community and hospital will say goodbye to this well-respected service organization, the ladies will still volunteer when possible and plan to continue giving the firstgrade tours as well as participating in hospital week. Thank you, ladies, for your time, dedication and service to the Wagner Community Memorial Hospital-Avera and the city of Wagner. We will be forever grateful for your contributions.