Gimli District Health Auxiliary and Gift Shop transforms into a winter wonderland
If you want to do your Christmas shopping locally, the Gimli District Health Auxiliary and Gift Shop can be your one-stop shop for unique finds while keeping your funds in the Gimli Health District.
The Gimli District Health Auxiliary was founded in September 1968 by a group of Gimli ladies who wanted to give back to the community.
“When the Gift Shop and Auxiliary was first implemented, the focus was on hand-crafted products,” explained volunteer Cheryl Kryzanowski.
Over the last half-century, the Auxiliary has transitioned its shop to sell handmade and commercial products.
Just in time for the holiday season, the auxiliary transforms into a winter wonderland and sells specialized items just for Christmas.
“At Christmas time, we change our store into a Christmas store. There will be Christmas decor or other things that would make nice gifts,” explained Kryzanowski. “The focus is on things that people would want to buy for Christmas.”
You can purchase gift ideas throughout November and December, including holiday-themed jewelry, goods with Christmas fabric, and Morden’s Chocolate to satisfy that sweet tooth craving.
Many of the handmade items are created by local volunteers and are typically one-of-a-kind.
At the giftshop in the Johnson Memorial Hospital, you can find intricately knit items like touques and mittens, colourful sewn quilts, unique wood carvings, and more. They also sell specialized products such as wheelchair caddies, adult bibs, and a select number of women’s and children’s clothing.
What is unique about the volunteer-run gift shop is that all proceeds stay within the Gimli Health District to help purchase items that would not be covered by government funding.
“Every year we send out letters to departments within the Gimli Health District asking them what their wishes would be and what we could help out with funding.”
Kryzanowski noted that several wishes are patient focussed. In the past, the Gimli District Health Auxiliary has raised funds for a family room at the Gimli hospital, Camp Stepping Stones (a camp for youth experiencing grief of a family member), patient televisions, programs for the Seniors Resource Centre and Adult Day Program and more.
The Auxiliary also has a bursary fund for high school students entering their studies into the health care field.
“All the monies we make stay in Gimli. At the hospital or community health programs,” Kryzanowski added.
For herself, supporting the Gimli Health District is important to her and the other volunteers.
“We are like-minded people that share a common interest in helping the healthcare community. I think it is very important to all of us that we ensure that our health care stays in the community.”
In addition to selling unique products, the Gimli Health Care Auxiliary also hosts a 50/50 draw each month. Tickets are $2, and the winner goes home with half of the earnings. Tickets can be purchased at the gift shop or at various retailers throughout Gimli. The draw is held on the last Thursday of each month, except December’s draw, which will be held on the 19th.
The Gimli Health Auxiliary gift shop is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and will close on Dec. 20 for the holiday break.
You can also visit their Facebook page, Gimli Health Care Auxiliary and Gift Shop to get a sneak peak of what items they have in store.
