Hospital Volunteers Hit $1 Million in Lifetime Giving

The SSM Health Good Samaritan Auxiliary has hit a milestone that speaks volumes about what communities can accomplish when they pull together: $1 million in lifetime giving to their local hospital.

Built dollar by dollar through bake sales, volunteer hours, and countless acts of service, the achievement represents decades of neighbors caring for neighbors. Kay Zibby-Damron, the SSM Health in Illinois Foundation Director, calls it more than a number. "Behind every dollar are countless acts of kindness, service, and belief in our mission to provide exceptional health care," she says.

The group's recent impact shows exactly where that generosity goes. Last year, the Auxiliary presented $75,000 to the hospital foundation, funding real improvements for patients and caregivers.

That money bought a warming cradle and six new rocking chairs for the Women's Center, giving new mothers and babies a more comfortable start. The Emergency Department received new mobile workstations to help staff work more efficiently. The group also invested in their scholarship endowment, launched in 2024 to support future healthcare workers.

The Ripple Effect

This kind of sustained giving creates waves far beyond the hospital walls. When volunteers invest in better equipment, patients receive better care. When they fund scholarships, they're training tomorrow's nurses and doctors who'll serve the community for decades.

The celebration included a particularly touching moment: honoring Virginia Rubenacker, a longtime Auxiliary volunteer, on her 100th birthday. Her century of life includes years of giving back to the hospital that serves her community.

The newly elected 2026 Board of Officers, led by President Pat Panarese, will guide the Auxiliary's next chapter. They're joined by First Vice President Mary Harlan, Second Vice President Sharon Martinek, Treasurer Pat Garren, Secretary Marietta Lamberson, and board members Barb Gajewski, Anh Strow, Brenda Cain, and Rose Rankin.

A million dollars raised through community spirit proves that extraordinary things happen when ordinary people commit to making their corner of the world a little better.