by Garth Meyer
All through the year, some of the choicest items donated to the South Bay Auxiliary Thrift Shop in Redondo Beach never reach the shelves.
Because they are held back, for the “Annual Holiday Boutique,” set this year for Dec. 2 at Palos Verdes Golf Club.
The South Bay Auxiliary Children’s Hospital L.A. was founded in 1914, the first of 32 Auxiliary groups which support the medical center.
“We are the first, we are the oldest,” said Pim Murphy, current South Bay president.
With eight new volunteers in the past 12 months, the group looks to celebrate the thrift store’s 100th anniversary in 2030.
“We’re still in the process of putting a committee together,” Murphy said. “We have time.”
Begun by a Hermosa Beach woman named Kate Page Crutcher, originally the local Auxiliary was a group who made things for kids at the hospital.
“It was very equipment-oriented at first,” Murphy said.
By 1925, the founders had raised enough money to build a house on Monterey Avenue in Hermosa Beach, for use as a convalescence home for children. In 1930, the operation added a thrift store on Hermosa Avenue, later moving to its current Redondo location on Aviation Boulevard in 1970.
The store has donated more than $150,000 to the hospital each of the past few years, according to Murphy, and more than $6 million since 1957.
“Jewelry brings in the most money all year,” she said.
The local Auxiliary has 49 active members, who run the store, open four days per week. They have one male volunteer. Proceeds now go to funding an associate chair in pulmonology and sleep medicine at the hospital, and an associate chair in ophthalmology.
The other Children’s Hospital L.A. Auxiliaries stretch from El Segundo to Beverly Hills and Glendale. South Bay is one of just two that run a thrift shop. The others hold fundraiser events, such as dinners and an equestrian contest (Palos Verdes Auxiliary). A Men’s Guild in El Segundo hosts an annual Texas Hold ‘Em poker tournament.
As for this year’s South Bay Auxiliary Christmastime fundraiser in the windowed ballroom of Palos Verdes Golf Club, 300 ticketed guests are expected to attend the luncheon – paired with the shopping and a raffle.
“We put things aside all year that we think are boutiqueable,” Murphy said.
Last Friday, Oct. 31, with the store closed, staff cleaned out the shop from Halloween.
“Now it’s all about Christmas,” Murphy said.
What about Thanksgiving?
“Pour Thanksgiving, it gets bundled with Christmas.” ER
Wonderful!
Well congrats and thanks for doing good without sucking up tax dollars!