The Salmo and District Healthcare Auxiliary Society has been in operation since 1972.  The Thrift Store began in 1974 and now operates out of the lower level of the Royal Canadian Legion – Salmo Branch.   Our operating hours are 10am to 2pm on Wednesday’s and Friday’s.

Historically, the Auxiliary runs a Mother’s Day Plant and Bake Sale (our own plant starts and wonderful baking), and holds a Christmas Bazaar, Raffle and Tea  (which provides our patrons with light lunch put on by our members), Baking, White Elephant, Christmas, Grab Bag, Craft, Lucky 7s tables, and assorted door prizes).  Aside from the bake table, all items at the other tables have been donated to the Store, and we hope to be able to do this all again, soon!

In lieu, over the past year and a half, we’ve made do by auctioning off 12 wonderful Christmas 2020 baskets, created by our crafty elf, using donated items and a bit of enhancements.  The same crafty elf created a lovely Valentine’s Day basket which was also auctioned off on our FB page specifically set up for auction items. We also held a successful 2021 Mother’s Day Raffle with items for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes obtained or donated by local suppliers.

As well as supporting our regional hospitals (Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital (Trail) and Kootenay Lake Hospital (Nelson)), we also support our local Salmo Health and Wellness Centre (clinic) and offer 2- $1,000 bursaries to a post-secondary and mature student who are pursuing a career in the human-health/medical field.  We also support the Kelowna Cancer Lodge, and the Jean Barber Cancer Lodge in Vancouver, given that most of our community members will have to travel to one or the other location if need be.  A yearly donation goes to our Salmo Food Security program in support of the Christmas hampers.  These are but a few of the recipients of our fundraising processes.

Via the yearly Dot Night, the Auxiliary applies for grant funding through the Columbia Basin Trust and Regional District of West Kootenay which (the collective) we discuss and decide what is deemed necessary to enhance the Store.  In the past few years, we have been able to put in all new clothing racks and hangers, and new shelving for display and storage; upgrade Store lighting; paint the bathroom and hallway; purchase a laptop and printer for our little office area; update our logo, and have new signs and banners made since becoming a Society.  All of this goes toward making our Store the best (and only) clothing store in Salmo and promoting the Auxiliary within our community.