SPMH: Auxiliary’s Pink Parasol still open, offers Christmas bargains

December 17, 2003
Santa Paula News

As closure of Santa Paula Hospital looms, The Pink Parasol Gift Shop will remain open with 40 percent off all merchandise, according to a SPMH Auxiliary official.

By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesAs closure of Santa Paula Hospital looms, The Pink Parasol Gift Shop will remain open with 40 percent off all merchandise, according to a SPMH Auxiliary official.The Pink Parasol has been an important fundraising arm of the “The Hospital on the Hill” for over four decades with all proceeds benefiting specific hospital needs and projects.The small shop is big on taste with numerous gift items, a zoo of stuffed animals, jewelry and many unique must-haves.Over the years the Auxiliary has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the hospital as well as countless volunteer hours working the floor, holding tours for expectant parents, visiting with patients and fulfilling selected operational needs. The Auxiliary also ensured that each newborn left the hospital with a free of charge car seat.The Auxiliary membership has not been shy about their fierce loyalty to SPMH; earlier this year during a public meeting addressing the hospital’s financial crisis, President Jody Caudillo urged that the SPMH management company, Quorum Health Resources be fired. Later, at the Auxiliary’s yearly luncheon, Caudillo announced that the annual donation to SPMH was being withheld for the time being.
Auxiliary First Vice President Alice Mensing said the Pink Parasol will remain open for an undetermined time with business hours on Saturday and Sunday, 2 to 4 p.m. and Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.What happens when and if the hospital remains closed is still not decided. “We haven’t gotten that far, it depends on how much merchandise we have left,” Mensing noted.Auxiliary members initially believed they would have to move out of the brightly decorated shop off the lobby today, but, “for now, we’ve decided not to worry about it until after Christmas. As long as they’re letting us stay here we’ll have the gift shop going.”On Monday an inventory of merchandise stored in the hospital basement was scheduled.As for the Auxiliary itself, Mensing said it is not disbanding.“Most of us are planning to remain organized in case the hospital does start up again. I don’t anticipate it will be soon,” but the Auxiliary is willing to wait it out.



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