BIDDEFORD — At the Southern Maine Health Care Auxiliary’s annual Open Meeting on Oct. 4 at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm, Auxiliary Members Carmen Doliber and Suzanne Madore, co-managers of the SMHC Gift Shop, presented Auxiliary President Denise LaRoche with a check for $20,000 as the Gift Shop’s annual donation to the Auxiliary.

The SMHC Gift Shop is operated entirely by volunteers (including Auxiliary members) and each year presents a check from proceeds of the shop’s sales to the Auxiliary, which ultimately support the hospital.

Since its inception, the Gift Shop has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Auxiliary.  Doliber and Madore both became involved with the Gift Shop as a way to “give back” to the community.

Madore has been volunteering in the Gift Shop for more than 30 years, first as a salesperson, then as manager for the last 10 years.

After retiring six years ago, Doliber was looking for a volunteer opportunity. While visiting the Gift Shop one day, one of the volunteers approached her about helping in the Gift Shop, and she has volunteered there ever since.

They both now co-manage the shop to provide the highest standard of excellence to customers.

“We are both so proud to be part of the Auxiliary and to fulfill a need for staff and visitors to the hospital,” Doliber said.

Southern Maine Health Care (SMHC) is a national award-winning healthcare system with a non-profit mission “to improve the health and health care of the communities we serve.” 

SMHC includes a full service, acute care medical center in Biddeford, with York County’s only inpatient mental health unit. Emergency care, surgical services, and diagnostic and therapy services are available at SMHC’s Medical Centers in Biddeford and Sanford. It offers primary care and multi-specialty physician services, diagnostic and therapy services, and Walk-In Care centers in various York County communities including Biddeford, Kennebunk, Saco, Sanford, North Berwick and Waterboro.

It is Joint Commission accredited and has been recognized for quality excellence by numerous outside organizations. To learn more about SMHC and SMHC providers, visit www.smhc.org, https://www.youtube.com/c/smhcorgme, or https://twitter.com/SMHCHealth.

The SMHC Auxiliary has been an integral part of the hospital family since 1907, raising and donating over $2 million to SMHC over the past 100 years. This dynamic group helps people across York County through their support of many important patient care programs and services that would otherwise not receive funding, such as massage therapy for cancer patients, emergency department equipment, and more.