About 20 women, none of them young and in fact most of them senior citizens, were sitting around table in the boardroom at the local hospital last Monday afternoon. The members of the hospital auxiliary interrupted their regular business discussions when Murray Calder, chair of the Louise Marshall Hospital Foundation, arrived. Mary Carlin, the auxiliary president, presented him with a cheque for $10,500 with the instructions that two pieces of wished-for equipment – a centrifuge and vital signs monitor – be purchased with the donation. (See photo on page 9 this week.) A little later in the meeting Annette Lefrancois, who is in charge of the auxiliary-run gift shop, turned a $1,000 cheque over to the president to be added to the group’s coffers. The money was profit from the little shop inside the hospital’s front doors. And then it was down to business – planning the spring luncheon being held at the Legion Hall on April 23. The luncheon is one of the auxiliary’s main fundraisers and the group is preparing to serve roast beef-on-a-bun to probably 200 people. That means cooking about 50 pounds of beef – some women volunteered to cook roasts while others made cash donations towards the purchase of the meat. Lists requesting donations of pickles, celery, carrot sticks and homemade pies – an estimated 47 will be needed – were passed around the table and the ladies added their names without a second thought. On April 23 the Auxiliary members will be at the Legion in full force, wearing their matching smocks, cheerfully greeting their friends and neighbors, serving up a hearty luncheon ($8, the same price as last year, it was decided last week) and when all is said and done raising more money to support the Louise Marshall Hospital.
The hospital auxiliary is one of many, many groups in the community who work selflessly to raise funds for this, that and the other thing, to support causes that makes this a better community in which to live, or simply to host fun filled enjoyable events.  From church groups to Women’s Institutes, service clubs to volunteer committees, the hours of unpaid work being done by people in the area for no other reason that to help out is utterly amazing.
Flip through the pages of the Confederate on any given week and you’ll find photos and stories about just some of those working quietly on your behalf.
A prime example is on this week’s front page. Both the Mount Forest Fireworks Festival and Holstein Rodeo Weekend have been named in the 2010 Top 100 Festivals and Events in Ontario. High caliber events such as these don’t happen without a myriad of volunteers and hours upon hours of planning.
Hats off to all of those who give so selflessly. Your good work does not go unnoticed.

Convention costs
For the first time convention expenses for members of Wellington North Council were included in the annual statement of council remuneration and expenses, tabled at Monday evening’s council meeting.
Attending the recent Ontario Good Road Association cost: Mike Broomhead, $1,259.05; Ross Chaulk, $1,317.18; Bob Mason, $1,099.18; John Matusinec, $1,097.67 and Dan Yake, $1,172.12.
Two councillors also attended the American Water Works Association convention.  It cost $3,054.93 for Councillor Matusenic to attend while for Councillor Yake it was  $3,152.08.