About Us

Frequently Asked Questions

Our Service League was officially 50 Years old October 2002 and we are celebrating their wonderful accomplishments!

In 1952 when the League was formed by 250 pioneer women of our community, they were eagerly awaiting the completion of the hospital. In 1953 they had an opportunity to welcome our visitors and patients and even helped run the visitor elevator. A few years later, they opened a Coffee Shop in the existing Radiology Waiting Room. The Coffee Shop become a major money maker for the Service League and before long they were funding all kinds of equipment and making "Pinkie" puppets for the pediatrics patients. In 1975 the Coffee Shop was re-located to a larger location and operated by volunteers until 1997, when it was leased out to a private vendor. Proceeds from the rent and sales still come to the Service League. In 1979 the Service League opened a Gift Shop. Today the Gift Shop is still serving patients and staff with sales well over $350,000 annually.

The Service League established a Nursing Scholarship program in 1960 and today they still fund annually, Nursing Scholarships at Harntell College. They also fund a Radiology Scholarship at Cabrillo College and have been funding a Health Profession non-nursing scholarship at Monterey Peninsula College.

Volunteers still work at the Reception Desk, greeting patients and their families. We have volunteers who call people every day for a friendly visitor call through Tele-care and we have over 200 clients through our 24-hour Emergency Lifeline program. Our Floral volunteers are still designing beautiful arrangements for our lobby areas, and our Surgery Hosts/Hostesses are still checking on our Surgery patients for their family members. We have recently debuted two new services under a Patient Ambassador format and now have volunteers in the Emergency Department and on the Nursing Units.

The Service League has extended its services to the community through support of the Asthma Camp, Children's Miracle Network, Medical Adventure Camp, General Tours and Interactive Tours of the Medical History Museum. The Service League is also a major donor to the Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital Foundation.

Please call 755-0772 for more information.