DISCUSSION

CBD OIL

Q. I would like to know if any hospital gift shops here in Arizona or other states are currently selling CBD products? If so, what was your process to obtain approval from administration? Were there any barriers that you faced or guidelines that needed to be followed? If you were able to carry CBD products what company do you buy from and what products are you successful with? I appreciate any feedback or advice you may have. — Jenny Inglett, Retail Coordinator, Gift Shop, Corner Stork Café & Daily Grind, Yuma Regional Medical Center, Yuma, AZ. 8/8/19.   :   It seems that CBD Oil is all the rage right now. I am wondering if anybody has stocked it in their Gift Shop? If so, how are the sales? — Jodi Babineau, Lakeview Medical Center, Sunshine Gift Shoppe Rice Lake, WI. 40 beds. 8/17/19

It is imperative that if a shop is selling this product that there is a pharmacist on staff that can discuss benefits, detriments, drug interactions, dosage, uses, etc. The purity of the product is of utmost importance-where is it grown, harvested and manufactured? Are pesticides used? What are the additives? Is the product grown, harvested and manufactures on the same site? Or is the product transported-and under what conditions? I believe at this time we should leave the CBD products to our pharmacists and medical personnel to sell.

We have a natural medicine pharmacist on staff that I have had the pleasure of working with as she introduced CBD into one of our pharmacies. She has done an extraordinary job researching the best quality product. Our pharmacists are trained to ask the right questions regarding using these products and contraindications

I find it worrisome that there is so much product flooding the market. Love reading your newsletter!

— Noel Donohue, Manager, Retail Operations, VIVO Health, Northwell Health. 10/19

Our Senior Leaders would not allow us to sell CBD oil in our gift shop. Our Employee Health Nurse Practitioner agreed with their decision. We sent out a request on the SHVL list serve website and there was an overwhelming response from other hospitals that they were not allowed to sell it in their gift shops also for many of the reasons that Connie Slingluff listed in her response.

— Cindy Fox, CAVS, Director of Volunteer Services, Maury Regional Medical Center, Columbia, TN. 10/17/19

Interestingly enough I am able to sell a full line of herbal tinctures, tea’s, and salves in our mini apothecary section and our hospital is pretty progressive in thought when it comes to a holistic approach to healing. We offer Aromatherapy, Reiki, meditation, yoga and even guided visualization to our patients. However when I approached admin about the potential for selling CBD’s in our shop it was denied. There are whole lot of folks that still need to be educated about how CBD’s work and those same folks still group this in with illegal substance. I find that sometimes what’s “on trend” at the trade show’s may not be “on trend” in my area and I need to keep this in mind when I purchase. For example; unicorns, sloths, llamas, and narwhals just do not work for me!

— Colleen DeSimone, Gift Shop Coordinator, Orange Regional Medical Center Gift Shop, Middletown, NY 381 beds. 9/13/19

With approval from administration beforehand, I purchased Twine CBD oil in Atlanta at the Link2Sales Showroom. In fact, Link developed the product. However, I put it out and it got downed by the medical doctors doing the drug testing and the pharmacy so I am discontinuing it. It is selling all over our community. I am not a medical expert and our gift shop does not need to be seen as controversial so it is not for us right now. The problem is that in companies where they do drug testing, there is an issue with CBD oil causing them to fail drug test. I sold out of the cream first and am on the last of the oil.

— Connie Slingluff, CDVS, Director of Volunteer Services, Blount Memorial Hospital, Maryville, TN. 8/17/19

BREAST CANCER PINS

We had a few members of the hospital staff wanting cancer related items. Most companies sell just breast cancer things and that is it so that is what our gift shop had to offer. It was a great point these customers made, all cancers matter. I found ChooseHope.com who donates 10% of its net profits back to cancer research and customers are extremely happy about this. We have a sign stating that the company donates to cancer research next to all the products, along with a chart showing which colors stand for which cancers. Lots of different items & prices. Just wanted to share with everyone.

 – Tessa Soulsby, Retail Coordinator Culpeper Medical Center in Virginia. 10/19

Annaleece offers a nice breast cancer pin with Swarovski elements that are very elegant and classy, which retails at $42.50. If that is too expensive, Kelli’s Gift Shop Supplier has a nice option that retails under $5.00.

— Bev Craig, Providence AK Gift Shop, Anchorage, AK. 9/16/19

WHO DETERMINES WHERE YOUR SHOP’S PROFITS GO? 

We request proposals from various departments by a certain date and then the board meets to discuss them. Once we have decided on the ones we want to support, we put it to a vote at the auxiliary meeting. We also have two scholarships for $2500 each, for hospital employees furthering their education and we work with Human Resources to review applications and select recipients. Some of this money comes from the Gift Shop and some from cookbook sales, scrub sales, bake sales etc.

We try to hold a training meeting for volunteers in the fall before the holidays to review policies, such as returns, and to brush up on procedures and field ideas. We have a notebook in the shop for volunteers to record ideas, complaints, requests and for me to leave information about merchandise. I also host a lunch or tea party once a year for all the volunteers to thank them for their hard work. This is in addition to our Auxiliary Volunteer Luncheon which is put on by the hospital every spring. They recognize the hours given by each volunteer with pins for our badges, and small gifts. One volunteer of the year is chosen and given a plaque, pin and gift. Thanks for all the wonderful ideas in your newsletter. Almost every issue gives me a jump start on something new. This is my response for the quarter.

— Sandy Oldfield, Coquille Valley Hospital, Coquille, OR. 19 beds. 9/16/19

Our gift shop makes an annual donation to the hospital from our proceeds. We select a date for our “shopping spree” donation meeting. Next we get a list of ‘requests’ from the hospital. Then we label individual gift bags for each ‘request’. Invite hospital employees who can speak about the need/benefit of each item requested. After volunteers have heard about each item we pass out play money – 1 five, 1 ten and 1 twenty. Volunteers vote by placing their money in the gift bag of their choice. They can place all of their money in one bag or divide it. The bag with the highest amount of money is the source of the donation to be given. Often the total amount we have to give is divided between a few items. The volunteers love having involvement in this fun way. The employees who come to present have a chance to connect with the shop volunteers and personally thank them.

— Toni Gildone, Gift Shop Manager and Volunteer Coordinator, Monadnock Community Hospital. 9/4/19

The profits from the gift shop and vending services (we stock and collect from all 19 vending machines in the hospital) are given to the Volunteer program. These profits along with proceeds from our outside vendor sales (held 6 times a year) are placed into the Volunteer bank account. A team of people including the Volunteer Services Director, Gift Shop Manager, Volunteer President, Committee Chairs for Projects (Vendor Sales) and Gift Shop/ Vending Services, and the Volunteer Vice President (head of Budget committee) meet to prepare a budget mid-year for the upcoming year. We have some standard items such as teen scholarships, employee scholarships, etc. that we fund year after year. Other requests from hospital departments are considered and then a proposed budget is set before the entire volunteer group for a vote.

— Angela Quinn| Cheer Corner Manager, UNC Lenoir Health Care, Kinston, NC. 8/18/19

Our shop has a board of volunteers who review the “wish list” from the hospital. Our board then meets with the hospital foundation members and together they determine where the money goes. If the foundation tells us about a special need in the hospital that is not on the list we will also consider their request. We have been handling it like that for 65 years and so far so good.

— Linda Cloud, Manager, The Window Shop, Blodgett Hospital, Grand Rapids, MI. 7/14/19

TSR WHOLESALE

Working with TSR Wholesale (Password: fall2019) is a real delight. I have been buying for the ARHS gift shops from this company for years. TSR carries an excellent line of clothing with some of the same name brands you can find at the larger high-end department stores. If I can get my order in to TSR before 3pm, I have my merchandise the next day. That service cannot be matched. TSR has great prices on their lines and very competitive.

— Sallie Woodring, buyer, Appalachian Regional Health Care. 2 gift shops (Boone NC and Linville NC)

AUXILARIES

Q. I would like to know how many of you still have auxiliary’s, twigs, or other volunteer organization? We keep hearing that auxiliaries are disbanding. While we are small, we are able to contribute over $150,000 each year to our medical center. — Sherry Miller, Gift Shop Coordinator Southeastern Ohio Regional Medical Center, Cambridge, OH. 177 beds

Yes, auxiliaries are indeed “dying on the vine”! But we actually still have an auxiliary. We are having a general membership meeting with them today to proposed changes to their bylaws which we feel confident they will vote on (the Auxiliary Board has voted to approve the changes, but it has to go to the entire Auxiliary membership for a vote, then on to our Hospital Board of Trustees). Their bylaws are old and antiquated and the proposed changes will basically change their mission/purpose which really has come down to “fundraising” and their Auxiliary Board would go from 12 members down to 5, and cut down on the number of times they meet during the year, plus eliminating Auxiliary dues, etc. It will make it a much, much better functioning board. Stay tuned – but it is not over until the fat lady sings!!!! Say a little prayer at 2pm that all goes well!!! This is something I have been trying to get done for years!

—Cindy Fox, CAVS, Director of Volunteer Services, Maury Regional Medical Center, Columbia, TN. 9/18/19

We still have an auxiliary of 240 members. Our Gift Shop alone donates approximately $30,000 to the hospital each year plus what is taken in from vendor sales. We have had a Flea Market for the past 35 years (a one-day sale with two weeks of setting up and pricing items donated by the community and a 50/50 raffle) but had to cancel this year due to the aging of our volunteers. This may take a toll on our numbers as many of our auxilians got their “hours” working at the Flea Market. Thank you so much for this newsletter, Cindy. We’ve gotten many good ideas from it.

— Linda Hocking, Manager War Memorial Hospital Gift Shop, Sault Ste. Marie, MI, 85 beds

We have all volunteers in our store. I am the only paid staff as manager. We still have an Auxiliary but we are not as active as a few years ago. We hold fund raisers, a Holiday Bazaar, Rocker-thon, Support Fund and The Corner Store/gift shop. We are blessed with great volunteers that work well together and are very dedicated to their scheduled time. Since we no longer handle our big fund raiser, we are still able to donate back to the home between $50,000-$75,000 a year for the Agape Fund that assists residents whose money has been depleted. I enjoy the newsletter.

— Alta S. Yoder, Manager of Gif t Shop and Auxiliary, Living Branches Retirement Community, Souderton Mennonite Homes, Souderton PA. 9/19

CANDLE LINE

Q. I am looking for a new candle line. Right now, I sell A Cheerful Giver, which has been good but I would like to try something different. I would love ideas. Thank you — Jodi Babineau, Sunshine Gift Shoppe Rice Lake, WI. 40 beds. 8/12/19

We use Swan Creek Candle Company. 800-626-4590 or email dduke395w@gmail.com.

— Winifred Major, Gift Shop Manager, AR. 10/1/19

We carry Village Candle. If your order is over $1200, you get free freight. If less, you get half freight. It is certainly worth it to take advantage of the free freight. Maple Butter is our best seller. We no longer carry votive’s as they do not sell for us, but the melts are great!

— Sherry Miller, Gift Shop Coordinator, Southeastern Med, Cambridge, OH. 9/2/19

I have a candle recommendation for Jodi who is looking for a new candle vendor: Swan Creek Candle Company or email info@swancreekwholesale.com. I have carried several lines of candles in the past and this one outsells them all consistently. Also, Stony Creek at Home, Inc. has some wonderful Christmas light up décor and snowmen.

Some other Christmas items that I would recommend are items from DM Merchandising, candles, clothing, jewelry, Snoozies socks, anything with snowmen on it, scarves and gloves. Our Christmas décor is selling less than it used to; I am noticing that the younger generation prefer minimal items in their homes for décor. Love your newsletter!

— Diane Honsberger, Manager, Volunteers/Gift Shop, Mercy Health, St. Anne Hospital Gift Shop, Toledo OH. 8/23/19

We were also looking for a new candle line and decided to start carrying the Swan Creek Candle line. The sales representative helped us determine the best-selling scents and sizes. We chose to start with 12 scents in the 12 oz vintage glass containers and purchased the basket displayer to show 16 of the sample-size glass containers (tiny jar with lid). We put them out and customers were amazed by how strong the fragrances were when you opened the lids. We sold so many the first 4 days we placed a reorder of both the sample size jars ($6.99 retail) and the 12 oz jars ($16.99). I think the combination of the great fragrance, cute container and the great retail prices make this line a winner. We have been looking to make a change for quite some time from Woodwick and the price increase and move to in-house sales sealed the deal for us.

— Anne Sutton, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Gift Shop, Cincinnati, OH. 8/19