The Bethesda Health Care Auxiliary, which runs the bi-annual book faire at Clearspring Centre, has voted to disband.

Chair Phyllis Toews says the auxiliary was formed 80 years ago in 1938 and they started with cooking, changing to evening suppers, and more recently the bi-annual book faires held each year.

"That was the perfect project for us because it envelopes literacy, which is so important to our community, and also the health issues."

Toews says over the years they have been able to raise funds for equipment in the various Bethesda facilities. While some projects took a couple years to pay off, the Bethesda Health Care Auxiliary has been able to purchase these items:

2006 - baby warming system and bronchoscope
2007 - sit/stand lift, four IV pumps, and a chemo pump
2008 - flexible bronchoscope and baby warming system
2009 - bariatric equipment, which is part of a bladder scanner
2010 - bladder scanner
2011 - gamma probe, a machine that makes the detection of breast cancer less invasive
2012 - resuscitation unit for the post anesthetic care unit and regulators for wall suction
2013 - bed pan sterilizer and bath chair for Bethesda Place
2014 - equipping the new palliative family room at Bethesda
2015 - new equipment to centralize hospital chart records onto one system, a specialty mattress for surgery and obstetrics, new blankets that retain the phototherapy for jaundice babies
2016 - Bilisoft blankets for obstetrics and a new bath unit for Bethesda Place
2017 - ten specialty chairs for the hospital including a tilt recliner, sleeper chair, and Broda chair

In 2012, Toews said, "since 1980 the Auxiliary has provided $422,247 towards the purchase of equipment and health scholarships."

Toews says there are few reasons the Auxiliary decided to disband including there is no guarantee of continued space in the mall, the members are aging, and there is no one to take over leadership.

"I wanted to step out of the leadership role completely. I've been chair since about 2001 and at this piont, this sale would be my 24th or 25th. So, I'm just needing to get out of the leadership position."

This spring will be the last Bethesda Health Care Auxiliary book faire and Toews notes they are wanting to sell as much of their stock as possible adding they have stopped accepting book donations.

"At this point, we're not sure [where the leftover books will go]. If anyone is planning a book faire, let us know. But, we hope to get rid of most of them and then we'll have to take it from there as to what happens."

She says the money from this spring sale will still go towards equipment at a Bethesda facility, adding exactly what the money will be spent on has not yet been designated. Toews notes the bi-annual book faires raise about $30,000 annually.

She adds for this final book faire they are looking for more volunteers than ever before.