The Westlock Auxiliary Healthcare Society have been serving patients in Westlock for nearly 100 years, 96 to be exact.
“We've got a pretty good group with 20 active members. We take a lot of the summer off and then we get back to our meetings in the fall,” said Auxiliary Society president June Krysa. “Visitors are always welcome at our meetings so we try to get a couple new members each year. The last couple years, we've been successful at that. We really take pride in what we do.”
The Auxiliary Society is focused on enhancing patient care and comfort at the Westlock Healthcare Centre and formerly Immaculata Hospital since they were founded back in 1929 by the Sisters of Charity of Halifax, who built the original hospital.
Volunteers with the society assist in running the gift shop in the hospital where all proceeds are contributed towards improving equipment and patient care. Volunteers also do work at long-term care where they assist in giving residents recreation opportunities including monthly tea parties, trips to the Agricultural Fair and bingo games. The society funded the purchase of a van in 2010, which is still used to transfer patients to different events. The society also provides gifts and flowers for long-term care residents on holidays like Christmas and Mother’s Day.
The society has donated more than $1 million in equipment and other items to enhance patient care since its founding.
Some of the largest donations include 45 TVs for every room in the facility back in 2012, a $75,000 ultrasound system in 2020 and many of the electric beds in the facility. The society also funds a high school scholarship program for students going into healthcare.
The Auxiliary Society in the past year funded the purchase of a new ECG machine, stretcher, IP Echo ultrasound imaging system, sit-to-stand trainer for rehab, new wheelchairs, pre-surgery monitor, electric bed, blanket warmer, new clothing labeller, pocket talkers for hard-of-hearing residents and grocery store gift cards.
The Auxiliary Society also won the 2025 Not-for-Profit Award from the Westlock Chamber of Commerce for its dedication and significant positive impact on the community.
Many Auxiliary Society members have been volunteering for several years, with five lifetime members who have been with the society for more than 25 years, although not all members currently volunteer. They are always looking to rejuvenate their organization with new members.
The current volunteering members include 14 workers at the gift shop, two shop managers in charge of most of the supplies for items in the shop, and four members in charge of organizing the monthly tea parties for long-term care residents. Auxiliary Society members volunteer around 5,000 total hours per year.
Volunteers are required to fill out a checklist of paperwork to volunteer, which is accessible online.
The healthcare centre also used to feature the Westlock Palliative Care Society, which was focused on care for hospital residents with life-altering illnesses. The Palliative Care Society was forced to shut down due to a lack of volunteers, but their funds were transferred to the Auxiliary Society.
“If no one wants to step up and be on the executive, technically you don't have an auxiliary so sometimes that becomes the problem,” said Krysa.
“Usually the term is two years, but most of the ladies have been on more than two years. Once you learn how to do things, it gets easier.”
Westlock Healthcare Centre receives generous donation
The Westlock Healthcare Centre recently received a generous donation from the late Pete Tymko. The donations would fund three new Omnicell medication dispensing units for the new facility.
His long-term partner, Adeline Peake, met with the site manager to discuss the best way for the funds to be used. Peake used her background in chemistry to find something that would support the staff and how they deliver patient care.
Omnicell medication dispensing units are used to keep medication organized and secure, making it faster and more accurate for staff to get them out. The high tech system keeps track of everything, limiting any errors that might occur. The units are estimated to be installed later this year with a plaque that honours Tymko.
“They save nurses time, increase patient safety, and make the process of giving medication smoother and more accurate," said Megan McCoy-McLevin, the site manager for Westlock Healthcare Centre.
She thanked Tymko and his family for their donation. “These Omnicell medication dispensing units will improve patient care of all that come in.”
Peake spoke about the incredible work the lawyer and accountant did during the process.
