The University of Virginia Hospital Auxiliary (Hospital Circle) records

The University of Virginia Hospital Auxiliary began in 1908 as the University of Virginia Hospital Circle of the King's Daughters. The Constitution and bylaws of that year state that the purpose of the Circle "is to render services to the University of Virginia Hospital." Five standing committees for work and supplies, delicacies, visiting, entertainments, and memberships were created and each committee was required to submit written reports at meetings. Meetings were held in Madison Hall on the first Thursday of each month from October through June with annual dues of $1.20. Meetings proceeded according to Robert's Rules of Order. Members of two years standing were allowed to nominate two new members each year and the group would vote whether or not to accept these members. Membership was limited to 36 active members and unlimited honorary members.

In 1924, Hospital Superintendent Dr. Hornsby, met with medical staff wives to discuss the creation of a larger service organization in order to meet the growing needs of the Hospital. A meeting was held, 150 women from the community offered their services, and The Hospital League was organized. Standing committees were established in the following areas: Publicity, Library, Home Visiting, Hospital Visiting, Flowers, and a Motor Corps. One of the League's most successful fundraising efforts was the creation of the Monticello Cook Book, containing old family recipes.

In their 1926 Constitution, the University of Virginia Hospital Circle dropped the term "of the King's Daughters" from their name, and amended their bylaws so that their purpose was "to render services to the University of Virginia Hospital, primarily to the free wards." The membership cap was lifted and membership was offered to "women of the community who are actively interested in the affairs of the Hospital," with two classes of membership established, active voting members and associate members who could not vote. As the recently established Hospital League assumed a large share of the services that the Hospital Circle had started, the Hospital Circle sought a new area of involvement. In October 1928, the Hospital Circle underwrote the salary of a Hospital Social Worker for one year at a cost of $100.00 per month. This position filled a genuine need at the Hospital and after the first year, the Hospital Social Worker's salary became part of the hospital's operating budget while the Hospital Circle continued to donate funds to support social work at the Hospital. Increased fund-raising projects included tours of historic homes, and a County Jamboree held at Fry's Spring Hall in 1935.

In 1941, Mrs. Mulholland, President of the Hospital League, suggested that the two organizations could work most effectively if they united as one group, at the same time freeing some members up for war work. To enable an efficient merger, the League expressed their willingness to accept the name, dues, budget, officers, and meeting place of the Circle. The two organizations joined together with one membership class of volunteers working to support the needs of the Hospital.

After the war, Mrs. Mulholland visited friends in New York and Philadelphia who were working in a new hospital group called the Pink Ladies. Their membership was recruited from Women's Hospital Auxiliaries in hospitals belonging to the National Hospital Association. She returned to Virginia and in 1951 organized a local chapter, recruiting 115 women from 40 organizations. One of the first jobs of the Pink Ladies was the sale of sandwiches to family and friends of patients in the waiting rooms. Ward carts allowed patients to purchase needed items and the gift and baby shops soon grew into substantial businesses.

In 1952 the Hospital Circle was reorganized as the Hospital Auxiliary in order to secure the benefits of state and national affiliation. The Hospital Auxiliary and Pink Lady personnel joined together as one organization, coordinating all volunteer activities in the Hospital. In 1985, the Hospital Auxiliary was incorporated to become the University of Virginia Hospital Auxiliary, Inc. with the purpose of rendering "service to the University of Virginia Hospital and its patients through ways approved or proposed by the Administration of the Hospital."

In its earliest days the Hospital Circle provided delicacies such as oranges, ice cream, and custards to ward patients and members sewed children's gowns, ether jackets and hot water bag covers for the wards. In 1911 the Hospital Circle contributed to the purchase of an X-ray machine for the hospital. Through the years of its existence, the Hospital Circle supported the work of the hospital's Social Service Department, raised funds to help the hospital purchase needed medical equipment, provided recreation and "Pinky Puppets" for children, supplied flowers to the wards, and made donations to the Nursing Scholarship Fund and the Drug Fund. Now, as in the past, the ethic of service to the Hospital holds strong. Venture Awards are given out annually to support programs that "benefit patients, patients' families or in some way improve service to the Medical Center community." The 2003 Venture Awards will provide a total of $20,000.00 to qualified applicants. Past recipients include the Malcolm Cole Child Care Center, the Cancer Center, and the Alex Sawyer Hospitality House. The hospital gift shop provides a much needed service and supports the fund-raising efforts of the Auxiliary. The Auxiliary also hosts book fairs and the annual Lights of Love ceremony, offers newborn baby photos and t-shirts, provides patient representatives to assist patients and their families, supports scholarship funds, and stays abreast of relevant information on health matters through their Legislative Committee. Numerous volunteers from the Hospital Auxiliary can be found throughout the hospital providing support to patients and families on a daily basis. Today's University of Virginia Hospital Auxiliary, Inc. carries on with pride the tradition of service to the Hospital that began with the University of Virginia Hospital Circle.