History of the Mammoth Hospital Auxiliary
In late 1968, 18 community members founded the Southern Mono Healthcare District Auxiliary: Caryl Asman, Eleanor Batchelder, Wanda Berner, Opal Elliott, Rita Eckert, Betty Lou Gardetto, Clara Kopp, Roma McCoy, Gladys Mahan, Irene Maron, Frances Martin, Ann Robinson, Charlotte Rodecker, Edna Sommer, Florence Sharp, Jeanne Standley, Sandy Surprenant, and Susan Waters.
Normally, a hospital comes before an auxiliary, but there was no hospital in Mammoth Lakes in 1968. If you were ill, you went to Bishop or to the Sheriff’s station wagon for care. So from 1968 to 1978, the Auxiliary held fundraising events and assisted where needed to show the community the need for a hospital.
A Hospital is Opened
Mammoth Hospital opened in 1978, 10 years after the Auxiliary was formed. It took years of fundraising and participation in three elections to finally pass the bond to build the hospital. The Auxiliary members participated in the ground-breaking in 1976, and 100 people attended the hospital dedication in 1978. By the time the hospital opened, the Auxiliary had raised enough money to buy equipment and furnish three rooms.
Every year the Mammoth Hospital Auxiliary donates upwards of $200,000 to Mammoth Hospital. Since its inception, the Auxiliary has contributed over $5.5 Million toward life-saving equipment, education and programs.
One of the Auxiliary’s greatest accomplishments is the Cast Off Thrift Store. This is their primary source of revenue and is staffed 100% by volunteers. The first store opened in 1979, and the rest is history! The Cast Off is now in its fourth location and is still growing. The Mammoth Hospital Auxiliary is proud to own the Cast Off’s building and land and to provide this vital resource to the community.