The following article was sent in by Ruth Hokanson. It revelas to us what a wonderful and caring individual she is.  she gives of herself unconditionally, asking nothing in return.  Therefore I would ask that you join me in congratulation Ruth on being our Good Global citizen of the week.

CLEBRATING 35TH ANNIVERSARY 

PENNOCK GUILD #5 HONORED FOR HELPING WITH PARENTING NEWSLETTERS 

By Elaine Gilbert

 

Babies, children and their parents have been extra special to the hearts of Pennock Hospital Pediatric/O.B. Guild # 5 members for many years.

With their funds and their actions, guild members have taken on a variety of projects to benefit kids and their parents through their generosity of time and talents to Pennock Hospital and the Barry County Child Abuse Prevention Council. 

For the Prevention Council, various guild members for many years coordinated and assisted in processing the monthly mailings of the Council’s informative parenting newsletter, call Pierre Pelican.

The Guild’s current president and her husband, Ruth and George Hokanson, were surprised to recently receive pewter Pelican pins from the Council fro their long-term volunteer roles in helping to mail the newsletter out to county parents.  Besides the pins, the Hokinson’s received a plague award from the Council in honor of Pierre Pelican’s 25th birthday in Barry County.  The plague acknowledged with appreciation that Ruth had coordinated the newsletter efforts for many years with assistance from her husband and faithful help from Guild members every month.

The Hokinson’s reciprocated by presenting Guild members with a framed certificate of appreciation for their volunteer service with Pierre Pelican newsletters

The Pierre the Pelican newsletter has provided free “positive parenting” information to thousands of parents since it became a County Child Abuse Prevention Council project in August 1981, thanks to the efforts of Hastings resident Kay Loftus, a council member at that time who advocated for it.  Volunteers from Guild # 5 stepped up to the plate to get the newsletter into the homes of parents who requested it.  This collaboration marked the council’s “first major child abuse and neglect prevention program, “according to a written history of the project.

Postage for the newsletter mailings are paid by the Council, which also purchased the Pierre Pelican series from its creator, Dr. Lloyd Rowland, a psychologist and director of the Family Publications Center.  The newsletters a series of 28 issues are easy to read and offer common sense parenting advice covering health and developmental information from the birth of a child through the child’s sixth birthday.

During the first year of the Pierre newsletter’s local debut, 82 families were subscribers.  Two hundred and thirty families received the newsletter during the second year.  Currently, 713 Barry County families are on the Pierre subscription list.

The Pierre the Pelican project is managed by volunteers who maintain the mailing list and process the monthly mailings, according to the written history of the local program.

The first newsletter volunteer was Deb Bryan-Murphy, of Guild # 5.  She handed over the duties to fellow guild member Ruth Hokanson in 1983.  Ruth’s husband, George Hokanson Jr., offered to help with the project, and together with assistance from the other guild members, the couple devoted 20 years to the newsletter work, “retiring in 2003 after a job well done!”  according to the written history.  With their ‘retirement,’ the guild concluded its involvement with the newsletters.

“Deb Murphy then volunteered to resume the responsibilities of Pierre program that she helped start in 1981.  Deb’s dedicated work with Pierre continued through spring 2005 with the current volunteer Gina McMahon assumed the program responsibilities.  In September 2005, Edna Conklin began assist Gina by managing the list of subscribers and organizing the monthly Pierre mailings.  The efforts of these dedicated volunteers have guaranteed the ongoing success of the Pierre program, “the written history said.

“The constant growth in the number of subscriber families speaks to the importance of the information provided by the Pierre program.  The mission of the Council is to prevent all forms of abuse and neglect through awareness, advocacy and education.  This mission is well served by our ongoing commitment to the Pierre Program, the council’s written statement said.

 

This year, the Pennock Pediatric/O.B. Guild # 5 is celebrating 35th anniversary.

The first meeting of Pediatric Guild # 5 took place May 18, 1972 with six members attending.  The guild’s focus was directed to provide needed items for the hospital’s (former) pediatric ward.

For examples, the guild has given toys, a VHS player, video tapes, rocking chairs, recliners, cots, scales, clocks and hobby horses to enhance children’s stays at the hospital.

Guild members, Carol Nevins and Bea Stanton, once created handmade costumes to wear to brighten the lives of hospitalized children.  Those costumes portrayed the Easter Bunny, Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus, a witch, an elf, and Sylvester and were a big hit with the kids and families, Ruth Hokanson said.

Other handmade items such as mobiles, tray favors, coloring books and holiday decorations were made by guild members for the pediatric ward.

When the hospital phased out its pediatric ward, the guild began doing most of its work with Pennock Hospital’s Obstetrics Department.  A baby scale was donated to that department in honor of Sue Teske, a deceased guild member.  A variety of other items have been given by the guild, such as socks, car seats, bunting outfits, blankets, preemie outfits, a coffee maker, sleepers, baby quilts made by June Bryan and equipment.

Last year, the guild donated $2000.00 from its fundraisers toward the purchase of a BiliChek for newborns.

“The analyzer helps to eliminate frequent lab draws on babies and gives staff a way to non-invasively monitor babies for bilirubin levels,” Hokanson said.

“These are just a few of the things we donated.  There are way too many things to name all of them.  Without the help of the members of the guild, Pennock Hospital and the community, we never would have been able to donate all we have,” she said.  “We’d like to thank all who have helped this guild continue in our success as a hospital guild.”

It has become a tradition for the guild to purchase gifts and food every Christmas season for a needy family with children.

The guild raises funds to benefit the hospital and its patients and for any other projects by holding different types of fundraisers.

Bake sales are the guild’s most enduring mode of fundraising.  Members hold two bake sales each year at Pennock Hospital.  The bake sales are always held on Good Friday (April 6 this year) and the Friday before Thanksgiving (November 16 this year).  At those events the guild also sells Rada knives and accessories.  “This idea was brought to us by one of our longest standing member; Sandy Forbush,” Hokanson said.  A raffle also is held at each bake sale to raise funds for projects.

The group also has compiled and sold a cookbook of many favorite recipes from current and former guild members.  Members have also sold napkins, coasters, placemats, and greeting cards, from Bright of America.

In addition to President Hokanson and Forbush, current members of the Guild are Ruth Casler, Vice President; Virginia DeLong, Secretary; Janet Demott, Treasurer; Cathy Casler, Jan McCaul, Rosezella Lake, Deb Lustey, Patti Oakland, Diane Williams and Renee Collins, who is the guild’s newest member.  Lela Strickland is an honorary member.   “We are always looking for new members and would welcome one and all.  Hokanson said.  People interested in joining the Guild may contact Ruth Hokanson or Janet Demott.

Courtesy of SparkleTags.com