Lorraine Zaunbrecher

In December 1958, I was listening to radio station 3GL, when I heard a voice appealing for flowers to be left at the studio on Christmas Eve morning, to decorate the wards of the Geelong Hospital for Christmas. That voice stirred a memory in me, of being told not to jump off the verandah over the garden to the lawn. When the lady finished the programme she signed off as Jessica, and I knew my memory was right as it was her son John Zimmer, my brother and sisters and I, who were caught out many years earlier.

As we had a mass of sweet peas in bloom I picked them and took a full laundry basket to 3GL by bus on Christmas Eve, and joined what was then the 3GL KK Hospital Auxiliary

It gives me a great deal of pleasure to write this history of the Auxiliary, which has seen several changes of name over the 47 years of its existence.

The Auxiliary was founded as a result of an initiative of 3GL. In 1950 Janet Gay, who had come from Hamilton, compered a ladies' programme on 3GL. A lot of letters and poetry were read, and pen names were used. Small get-togethers of her listeners were held from time to time. Mr Reg Gray, who was manager of 3GL, suggested that these ladies might be interested in working for the Geelong Hospital. A meeting was held on 5 April 1950, at which Mr Gray got Mr E. Taylor from the Hospital to speak, and a committee was formed. The minute book does not show where this meeting was held.

The minutes show the following as the first executive committee (with their 3GL Kitchen Klub pen names):

It is interesting to note that of these ladies, Mrs V. Dougherty was Secretary for 21 years. Furthermore, Mrs Bennett was a member until the Auxiliary disbanded in August 1997.

As is shown above, pen names were used. Some were very interesting and really set the mind wondering: Yodelling Mum, Apple Blossom, Pete's Mum, Golden Daffodil, Sunset Marigold, Blue Lake, Moomba. Mine was Gai Lorraine, mostly written as Gay Lorraine, so it's just as well these were phased out!

The next entry is of the first Annual Meeting, held at 3GL on 8 April 1951. What happened in between is anyone's guess! At this meeting a decision was made to have monthly appeals. These netted 52 face washers, 197 cakes of soap, 12 bars of soap, 44 babies' singlets, 9 bonnets and 9 pairs of booties, 13 tins of jam, 30 jellies, 32 dozen eggs, 4 pillowslips, towels and tea towels, and a parcel of magazines.

The Gala stall that year brought in 70 pounds! In March 1951, members helped with supper at the Gala Ball.

In these early days the radio programme was the thing binding members together, as they were from near and far. Bright & Hitchcocks sponsored the programme, which was broadcast at 11:15 each Monday morning. It was known as the Kitchen Klub, and had Mailbag, Poets' Corner, and Stay-at-home segments. The lady announcers were Ena Strachan until September 1954, followed by Joanne, Judith, Claire, Suzanne, and finally June Thomas.

I have enclosed a copy of the first Balance Sheet, also a copy of the first two acknowledgments of gifts-in-kind. Reading through the Minute Books, there are records of as many as 45 ladies present at the meetings, and as few as twelve.

Meetings over the years have been held at 3GL, the Coffee Lounge, (which I take to be the Palms Cafe as this is also mentioned), the Metro Inn, Orchid Rooms, Tucker House, and the CWA Rooms, then at the Hospital itself.

In 1958 a competition was started called "One Woman's Work". The materials to be used were to cost no more than five shillings! Each member displayed her work and points were awarded. A special prize was given for more than 50 articles. Other competitions were for an article made from a sugar bag, something for a child, a bib apron, a half apron, a tea cosy, a kettle-holder, and a covered coathanger. In September 19611 even won a prize for knitting, which I don't remember, but as I hated knitting, it surprises me!

Funds were raised in a variety of ways: rummage sales, backyard bazaars, concerts and baby shows, mannequin parades, square dances, crazy whist, beetle days, stalls and recipe books, and a fancy dress parade where Peter Pianto and Fred Flanagan, footballers of renown at the time, were judges.

Requests from the Hospital have changed over time. Our first purchase was two dressings trolleys at a cost of 20 pounds each. We have provided footstools, commodes, hair dryers, headphones, wheelchairs, glucometer, ripple bed, suction pumps, poodle clippers, portable phones, and a skeleton. Matron's requests in the early days included embroidered cot quilts, bunny rugs, soap, eggs, milk jug covers, bonnets and booties, glasses and vases. Nursery squares or nappies were taken by members for hemming. In later years more sophisticated donations showed the following being supplied: combined water chair, electric razors, video recorders, micro waves, TVs, an ophthalmoscope, blinds, blood pressure monitoring machines, shower chairs, sheepskins, respiratory pumps, syringe pump, curtains, auroscope, IVAC pump, recliner chair, drug trolleys, radio cassettes and fans.

Members have supplied tea and coffee at Pre-natal Clinics and the Peter McCallum Clinic.

Our own members were visited when ill, and a roster for this purpose was drawn up at each meeting.

Donations were also given to Grace McKellar House, Ballarat Mental Home, Kardinia Salvation Army Home, Bethany and Glastonbury, Karingal, Drysdale Nursing Home, Cottage by the Sea, and the Aboriginal Advancement League.

It has not been all work and no play for our members. There have been bus trips to the Sunshine Biscuit Factory, Adams Cake Factory, Four-and-Twenty Pies, several TV shows including the Happy Hammond Show (Happy of course was at 3GL first), and Como. We have had some lovely Christmas parties in many different venues.

The radio programme became a monthly event in February 1973, and was cancelled altogether in February 1978. From then on our notes were put over the air as community service notices. When the radio station changed hands we became the KRock Hospital Auxiliary. The radio station withdrew its support in 1994 and we became the KK Hospital Auxiliary.

In 1991 we gained some members when the Newtown Auxiliary disbanded. In the same year we combined our trust fund with that of the No 1 Auxiliary, and both groups supported the Birdsey Wing.

In September 1991 a reunion of old members saw a visit by Blue Lake (Mrs Wylie), Sunset Marigold (Miss Hoare), Balcaim (Norma Linguey) and June Thomas.

The Auxiliary finally disbanded on 5 August 1997.

It is fitting to acknowledge the great efforts over many years of so many dear friends who have passed on, and of all the ladies who have given their time and talents in so many different ways to support our very deserving Hospital

May I commend you all for a job well done!

Thank you, Jess, for arousing my interest. I have had many happy hours while working for those less fortunate.