LARNED — “I know I will miss working with the State Board of Kansas and I will miss the people I have met over the years,” remarked Marcia King, Larned, who is stepping down as the state Hospital Auxiliaries of Kansas (HAK) historian. “I have been on the board for 16 years and I feel it was time for “new blood.”
King attended the annual HAK State Convention held in Wichita Sept. 7-8, where she received recognition with a going away gift.
At that time, the Pawnee Valley Community Hospital Auxiliary also received the Gold Award, which is the highest, most prestigious honor for a Kansas Auxiliary to receive. PVCH Auxiliary is in district 6.
Over the years, King has served as a district coordinator, state vice president, a visiting district coordinator and historian, which included preparing the state scrapbook.
“I have put together at least 13 state scrapbooks,” she said.
During that time, she visited 17 auxiliaries in district 6 of which the local auxiliary is a member.
King is a walking fount of information regarding not only the State HAK, but also the Larned St. Joseph/Pawnee Valley Hospital Auxiliary history.
“The Hospital Auxiliary here in Larned started in 1978 when a group of women at the Presbyterian church Share Group expressed a desire to reach out, to give to others. In those earlier days, auxiliary women visited the patients, watered plants, read the mail to the patients, and provided a ‘cheer cart’ with items like toothpaste, combs, snacks and so on for the patients. At that time, the swing bed program provided care for those needing longer periods of time for recovery,” she said.
It will soon be 40 years that King has been involved in the Larned Auxiliary. For a brief few years, Marcia and her husband Dick lived in Kansas City, but they would return for most of the meetings when Dick had to be in Larned for business concerns. Although Marcia is stepping down on the state level, Dick will continue to be involved. He has been asked to continue as the HAK state photographer.
Marcia’s efforts and loyalty are appreciated and the Pawnee Valley Community Hospital Auxiliary applauded her work at the October meeting.