BONNYVILLE – The Bonnyville Health Centre Auxiliary hosted its annual Strawberry Tea fundraiser event, where people gathered at the Bonnyville Seniors Drop In Centre to enjoy afternoon tea and angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream.
The event took place on May 14, and attendees dawned their Sunday best to gather for a good cause, enjoy tea and cake, peruse the silent auction and purchase a raffle ticket.
Helen Wakulchyk, president of Bonnyville Health Centre Auxiliary, explained that the event raises money that goes toward purchasing things for the hospital in Bonnyville.
“The hospital administrator will give us a request list of things that we could possibly fund. They’re usually things that don’t get funded through other means. We previously fundraised for a ring-cutter, for when patients have a ring that needs to be removed that is stuck. One year we bought a lift for the x-ray. One of the things we are fundraising for is a swing in long-term care for wheelchairs to go on,” said Wakulchyk.
Wakulchyk said the annual Strawberry Tea event has been happening for over 25 years, and that they once again saw a great turnout this year.
Real roses in lavender and creme tones adorned the tables, and attendees drank their tea or coffee from ornate china teacups.
“People always say they enjoy themselves – it's such a lovely atmosphere. The setup is really nice,” said Wakulchyk.
Anyone interested in volunteering or becoming a member of the Bonnyville Health Centre Auxiliary is encouraged to get involved. Wakulchylk spoke about how much she enjoys the group of volunteers in place, and how fulfilling the work is.
“We’re always looking for people to help at functions such as [the Strawberry Tea]. We have volunteers who help at the cancer clinic or long-term care, and people who work in the gift shop,” said Wakulchylk.
She said it is mostly retired people who volunteer because they have the spare time, though becoming a volunteer does not require a large time commitment, and they are happy to welcome volunteers in whatever capacity they can offer.
“I am retired, and I like being active and helping out. I met a lot of new people [through my time volunteering] that I wouldn’t have met otherwise,” said Wakulchylk.
