BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
You can apply the same principle to the Bradford Community Health Auxiliary, which was formerly known as the Shands Starke Auxiliary. The name is different, but the goal is the same.
At its July 21 installation banquet, President Linda Johns explained how the auxiliary still exists to serve the community and its healthcare facilities, saying, “We are the same auxiliary as before, but with a name change.”
The name change came about because of the sale of Shands Starke and its transformation into an emergency room-only facility. The new name became official this past October.
“This is our first banquet as Bradford Community Healthcare Auxiliary,” Johns said.
The auxiliary, with the hospital becoming an emergency room-facility only, had to find a new physical locale it could call home. That new home is the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Gordon Smith said the auxiliary members have been a positive addition, helping out where they can with victim and elderly wellness-check scenarios as well as continuing to support local doctors, nurses and others who work in healthcare.
The sheriff’s office exists to serve the community. Smith said the auxiliary members help serve as a reminder of that.
“They have a heart,” Smith said. “It’s all about service. That’s their mission and goal.”
Smith said auxiliary members are always asking what they can do to be of assistance. If the answer is something challenging, Smith said they never respond by saying, “We can’t do that.” Instead, they look for ways to get it done.
“You all are such a blessing to us,” Smith said. “For that, I want to personally say thank you, not only on my behalf and on behalf of the men and women who serve, but on behalf of the community.
“With that, I want to say I love you. Thank you for your Godly blessings that you bring us each and every day. I can’t say enough kind words about you.”
Johns said the auxiliary has been serving on a limited basis since Covid, but it still was able to provide $10,000 to Starke’s UF Health Family Medical Group as well as tokens of appreciation — such as candy bars and cans of peanuts — on nationally recognized days and weeks in honor of doctors, nurses, first responders and law enforcement.
Recently, the auxiliary presented $4,600 to Bradford County Fire Rescue for the purchase of seven jump bags, which include advanced life-support equipment. Division Chief Dylan Rodgers said the equipment helps stabilize those having medical issues inside their homes prior to transport to a medical facility.
Rodgers thanked the auxiliary for the gift, saying it allowed for the replacement of an old set of jump bags that were old and obsolete.
“Every single day, these guys and gals (with Bradford Fire Rescue) go out to medical calls,” Rodgers said, adding, “We are very, very thankful for that gift.”
Johns said the auxiliary holds various fundraisers to help it make such gifts. Its main fundraiser is its food booth at the Bradford Agricultural Fair that’s famous for its strawberry shortcake. The booth also sells such fare as hamburgers and French fries.
“It was only for a few days this past year because of the rain,” Johns said of the fair, “but we still made $4,100 after expenses. We’re very thankful.”
Dimple Overstreet performed the installation of officers, which included Johns as president. Johns has been involved with the auxiliary for 54 years, which prompted Overstreet to jokingly ask, “Does everybody know Linda?”
Other officers installed were Charlotte Williams as first vice president, Loretta Edwards as second vice president, Linda Hildebran as treasurer, Virginia Linzy as recording secretary and Gertrude Griffis as corresponding secretary.
Prior to the installation, Griffis provided a breakdown of volunteer hours for each member during the past 2.5 years, saying it all came to a total of 9,519 hours.
Johns recognized three individuals who are no longer active members, but who are lifetime members: Mary Ann Andrews, Sylvia Brown and Peggy Godwin.
Olivia Scott, the scholarship chair, presented a brief history of the auxiliary’s endowed scholarship.
“In June 2001, after much hard work, the Shands Starke Auxiliary scholarship fund reached $50,000,” Scott said. “We were able to then receive matching funds so we could endow our scholarship.”
Scott said the auxiliary has awarded approximately 32 scholarships, including renewals. The two most recent recipients were Krista Hildebran (2021) and Shelby Burkhalter (2022). Hildebran, a 2020 Bradford High School graduate and granddaughter of Auxiliary Treasurer Linda Hildebran, graduated this past May from Santa Fe College and is employed as a registered nurse with UF Health Shands. Burkhalter, a 2022 BHS graduate and granddaughter of Auxiliary Lifetime Member Sylvia Brown, is currently attending Santa Fe College.
“We want to congratulate both of these wonderful, young ladies and wish them well on their journey into the future,” Scott said.
