Topping the fun generated by the more than 65 volunteers working at St. Andrews Auxiliary Thrift Shop is the fun of giving away the money earned there.

At the auxiliary’s fall meeting, held at St. Andrews Village Inn on Wednesday, Oct. 15, the membership voted to accept the board’s recommendation to fund various requests from Lincoln County Healthcare (LCH) for a total of $39,548.

Scott Shott, accepting the check from Carol Lingard, auxiliary treasurer, thanked the auxiliary for giving their time as well as their money.

“People who work in these organizations (LCH) really appreciate what you do — it gives them a great morale boost,” Shott said.

The Tufts Medical School program in Maine will receive $10,000 as it did for the past two years. The money contributes to a special curriculum that brings two students to Lincoln County Healthcare for their third medical school year, allowing them to experience medicine in a rural area with the hope that they will return to Maine to practice medicine when their schooling is completed.

Other funds were distributed to the Urgent Care Center ($2,000), the Family Care Center ($17,868), the Maintenance Department at the St. Andrews Campus ($1,049), the Wellness and Rehab Center at the St. Andrews Campus ($1,445), and St. Andrews Village Dietary Department ($7,186).

In addition to this check, since the membership meeting one year ago, the auxiliary has given $500 to buy Christmas gifts for persons in the Gregory Wing of St. Andrews Village; $500 to the Boothbay Region District Nursing Association; $1,294 to the Wellness/Rehab Department at St. Andrews Campus for requested items; $20,000 to improve the safety and appearance of a patio outside the main dining room at St. Andrews Village; and $2,543 for a memorial bench for that patio honoring St. Andrews Auxiliary members.

The auxiliary has helped six local students improve their skills in the healthcare field with a total of $8,43 in scholarships, $1,390 of that amount coming from the Fran Hale Scholarship Investment fund.

Gifts to the Boothbay Region Ambulance Service ($5,000) and to LifeFlight ($2,000) are planned for later in the year.

The auxiliary continues to consider donating ongoing earnings from the St. Andrews Thrift Shop to the peninsula’s healthcare as the need arises. For example, scholarship applications are considered as they are received and are awarded as merited and if money is available.

Other information shared with members during the business meeting included the fact that 112 volunteers contributed 9,300 hours to auxiliary activities. The auxiliary members continue to serve a Christmas lunch to St. Andrews Campus and Village employees and to recognize auxiliary volunteers at the spring luncheon.

This year a special Volunteer Appreciation Day, hosted by St. Andrews Village in September, honored over 60 years of auxiliary volunteer work and especially those volunteers who have died.

Following the business meeting the two current third year medical students, Hillary Glick and Will LaPlant, working here since June through the Tufts Medical School Program, shared their experiences working within Lincoln County Healthcare.

They stressed that getting to know their patients, often in several different settings and in a more personal way, is very helpful in learning the practice of medicine.

The program coordinator, Dr. Heather Wolfe, explained the difference between a traditional third year medical school curriculum and the Longitudinal Integrated Curriculum Hillary and Will are experiencing. The students also expressed their delight at how welcoming the patients and the community are.

Members and auxiliary guests enjoyed a delicious brunch hosted by St. Andrews Village Inn. All were welcomed by President Carole Zalucky. The new auxiliary member handbooks were available containing email addresses thanks to Diedre Amplo, membership chair and Julie de Long from Lincoln County Healthcare.