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Health & Fitness

Gingham Tree Resale Shop earns national recognition for volunteerism

The Gingham Tree, Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital's resale shop, earned a prestigious national award from the American Hospital Association. The shop is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

DOWNERS GROVE – Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital’s resale shop earned a prestigious national award from the American Hospital Association. The Gingham Tree Resale Shop is the sole recipient of this year’s Fundraising Program Award, part of the 2013 Hospital Awards for Volunteer Excellence (HAVE).

This award program was established by the American Hospital Association Board of Trustees to help hospitals attract and retain volunteers by recognizing outstanding contributions of organized programs of volunteer service.

The resale shop, which is owned and operated by the Auxiliary, provides financial support for Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital. Through a strong partnership with the community in which items are donated and purchased, the resale shop is the Auxiliary’s largest fundraiser and has contributed more than $2.1 million over the last 10 years to benefit the hospital.

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“You give us good stuff. We do great things” is the Gingham Tree’s motto. It is staffed entirely by volunteers, which is the secret to the store’s success, according to Laura Neiberg, vice president of ancillary services and community health.

“There is a halo effect from the fact that it sits on the hospital campus, but I don’t think its success is as much because it sits on the campus as it is about the volunteers who are so creative in reaching out to the community to make sure the donations are collected and to literally bring customers in,” Neiberg said.

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The Gingham Tree will celebrate its 40th anniversary in June; it is two years older than the hospital itself.

Funds have been used to enhance the hospital’s Level 1 trauma emergency room (the only Level 1 trauma center in DuPage County), pediatrics unit, chapel renovation, completion of the Good Samaritan Health and Wellness Center, renovation of the cardiac catheterization lab, new surgical suites operating equipment, modernization of the hospital’s gift shop, a water wall exhibit to create a healthy environment and many other projects.

The award from the American Hospital Association recognizes volunteer leadership, new approaches, effectiveness and utilization of nontraditional resources of volunteers in support of fundraising efforts. The award was presented at a ceremony in Washington during the AHA’s annual membership meeting in April.  

To learn more about the Gingham Tree Resale Shop, located on the campus of Good Samaritan Hospital, visit: www.advocatehealth.com/gsam/ginghamtree. The store is open Monday through Saturday and is located at 900 W. 39th St., Downers Grove.

For more information on the American Hospital Association HAVE Awards, visit: www.aha.org/about/awards/have.shtml.

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