SUNSHINE CIRCLE

SUNSHINE CIRCLE. In 1889, a year before the establishment of FINLEY HOSPITAL (THE), a service organization for the hospital was organized by Miss Mabel Raymond and many of her friends. The "King's Daughters" was formed to raise funds for the hospital and other needy charities. Because of the high interest, three circles were formed--The Ladies Circle, The Girls' Circle, and the Children's Circle. (1)

Miss Mary Hooper saw a need for a room especially equipped to care for children. With twenty-seven friends, Miss Hooper set out a plan for furnishing and maintaining such a care facility. The first "Sunshine Room" contained only four beds--only one of which was endowed by the Circle. On August 6, 1890 the Children's Circle was renamed "The Goldenrod Circle" and "Lend a Hand" was adopted as its motto. (2) Raising funds was difficult. The first fair held at Finley was sponsored by the three circles on October 10, 1890. The Goldenrod Circle received fifty-four dollars. (3) This amount was sufficient to furnish two rooms of the hospital--one as a waiting room and the other for medical attention. (4)

When Miss Hooper married Fred Miller, she resigned from the circle. Interest dropped, and the last meeting of the Goldenrod Circle was on November 30, 1891. (5)

On September 9, 1893 former Goldenrod members met at the home of Mrs. Mary Hooper Miller. The Circle was reorganized and became affiliated with the Dorothea Dix Society of Dubuque. In February 1894 the Goldenrod Circle renamed itself the Sunshine Circle. The first of the annual picnics was held that year as the Circle supplied the hospital with fresh flowers and in the fall with jams and jellies. (6)

Raising small amounts of money from events was common until the idea developed to host a "Charity Ball." The event was so successful that the Circle was soon able to support all four beds. (7)

By 1920 the Circle had expanded its quarters until it had accommodations for ten beds, an isolation room for contagious diseases, a children's bathroom, linen room and wardrobe. Doctors on the medical staff regularly elected members to give their services free to the clinic. (8) In 1919 through the generosity of Dr. and Mrs. E. R. Lewis the "Jane Lewis Playroom" was endowed in memory of their daughter. (9)

Over the years, fund-raising activities have included charity balls, teas and musicals. The Circle hosted "Trolley Days," "Tag Days," "Tour of Homes," and "Market Days." There were cookbooks, cake sales, and preparation of "Study Sacks" for college students during exams. Activities involving the hospital have included prenatal classes, free children's clinics, and maintenance of the Sunshine room in Finley's Pediatric Department. Five members of the Circle volunteered for duty each day during WORLD WAR II due to a shortage of nurses. (10) In 1989 the sixty-five adult members volunteered over thirteen thousand hours to the hospital. (11)

In 1990 commemorating the one hundredth anniversary of its first fund-raising activity, the Circle issued a centennial cookbook entitled Seasons of Sunshine.

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Source:

1. "A Century of Sunshine," Julien's Journal, September 1990, p. 19

2. "The Sunshine Circle," Julien's Journal , November 1994, p. 54

3. Ibid.

4. "Sunshine Circle to Establish Clinic at Finley Hospital for Children of Poor," Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, March 14, 1920, p. 19

5. "The Sunshine Circle."

6. Ibid.

7. "Sunshine Circle to Establish..."

8. "Open House at Finley Hospital Today," Telegraph Herald, May 15, 1921, p. 15

9. Ibid.

10. "A Century of Sunshine."

11. Ibid.