UPMC McKeesport Hospital gift shop celebrates 90 years of serving the community

An open house celebration was held Wednesday to mark the gift shop’s milestone.

Shown, from left, are Ginny Dunsavage, president, McKeesport Hospital Junior Committee, LaJuana Fuller, director, Magee Women’s Imaging Dept. at McKeesport Hospital, Louis Robinson, Pennsylvania State Certified Peer Navigator, UPMC-McKeesport Addiction Medicine Unit, and Christine Savides, recreational therapist, UPMC-McKeesport’s Behavioral Health and Addiction Medicine Units.

Ninety years of helping others and providing necessities to patients was celebrated Wednesday morning at UPMC McKeesport Hospital.

During an open house Wednesday, the 90th anniversary of the McKeespport Hospital gift shop was celebrated by longtime gift shop volunteers, hospital officials and elected leaders.

The milestone was also marked by the presentation of $17,000 raised by the gift shop to two departments at the hospital.

McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko called the volunteers “incredible,” adding that he was at the 80th anniversary, and he is proud to be at the event again this year where many of his former, fellow teachers also volunteer.

“We talk about volunteers all the time in the City of McKeesport,” Cherepko said. “There’s just something unique about this community, and you see it here through this gift shop. This is just so special. In the City of McKeesport, we talk about working in the community for a better McKeesport, and when you look at this, that truly exemplifies what that means.”

White Oak Mayor Ina Jean Marton said she worked at the gift shop in the 1980s, and said she was thankful to be at the event and congratulated everyone for their success over the years.

Alison Piccolino of state Sen. Nick Pisciottano’s office said he was in Harrisburg Wednesday, but they wanted to be there to thank everyone for making a difference in the gift shop.

“What I love about McKeesport is what your purpose is,” said Kari Bedillion, vice president of operation at UPMC East and UPMC McKeesport. “You don’t find this in any other place – the community feel, the family feel. So, congratulations on your 90 years. Thank you for all your contributions to our hospital, our patients. We couldn’t have done this without you.”

In a Facebook post, state Rep. Dan Goughnour, D-McKeesport, congratulated the junior committee.

“It so great to see parts of our local history continuing on and being handled by such an incredible group of individuals,” Goughnour said. “This committee has donated over $3 million to UPMC McKeesport, and I know that they will continue to do great work as well as run the fantastic gift shop located in the hospital.”

Funding

The McKeesport Hospital Junior Committee Board, a group that maintains and services the gift shop and sponsors any other project approved by the membership for the benefit of the hospital, donates money from the gift shop to the hospital foundation.

Then, the foundation makes donations to those within UPMC McKeesport, and they give back millions of dollars throughout the years to try to keep the money within McKeesport.

The foundation voted to give $10,000 to the Addiction Medicine/Behavioral Health’s recovery garden.

The renovation of the existing hospital patio into a multi-use recovery garden. The goal is to improve the space and transform it into a dynamic therapeutic area.

With minimal structural changes and cost-conscious updates, the transformation will affect patient recovery outcomes, staff morale and the experience of visitors. The garden will also include new full flooring upgrades, a walking path, raised garden beds, plantings and accessible watering system along with shade, furniture, sensory/ interactive installations, lighting and programming signage.

The integration of nature, design and therapy supports the hospital’s values and vision to foster holistic healing and compassionate care, according to recreational therapist and co-president of the experience committee Christine Savides.

“When I was writing this grant, I really looked into how many people this can touch,” Savides said. “So, with our recovery garden, I looked at it as helping physical, emotional, cognitive, spiritual, social and leisure benefits not only for our patients and staff, but for our visitors as well.”

The board also voted to give $7,000 to the UPMC Magee Women’s Imaging Department, which will cover out-of-pocket costs for diagnostic breast imaging if individuals are uninsured or underinsured, along with coverage for screening mammograms if individuals are uninsured.

These funds will also provide transportation costs for needed services outside of the hospital, and the services will be provided by other UPMC Magee locations.

Director of women’s imaging at the Magee-Women’s Imaging Department at McKeesport Hospital LaJuana Fuller said the location is one of her favorite locations across Pittsburgh.

“One in eight women have a lifetime risk of being told that they have breast cancer, and out of that one in eight women, 40% delay care because they don’t have the funds,” Fuller said. “Because of out-of-pocket costs and the astronomical costs that health care is these days, this will be a great benefit to those in need. I am truly honored, privileged and grateful to serve the citizens of McKeesport.”

History of the gift shop

Known as the “Castle on the Hill,” McKeesport Hospital opened in 1894, according to McKeesport Hospital Junior Committee President Ginny Dunsavage.

On Oct. 8, 1935, a small group of women gathered at the home of Marion Cancellier to consider starting an organization to provide financial assistance for the growing McKeesport Hospital.

The goals were to help improve the hospital – painting beds and preparing bandages for the departments and the emergency room, according to Dunsavage. They even held a Christmas dance that is now an annual event.

In its early years, Dunsavage said the group raised money by hosting teas, fashion shows, selling Christmas cards and hosting an annual Holly Ball at Youghiogheny Country Club as early as 1964, which became a major fundraising event. Then, the gift shop was a small counter in the Painter Building next to the Men’s Ward.

Fundraising efforts took on a new look in 1945 when the new snack bar opened – offering staff and visitors milkshakes, hot food and toasted pecan buns. The late Audrey Delo then kept operations going through the 60s to the 80s.

From 1958 to 1965, hand puppets called “pinkies” were made for the children in the Pediatrics Department. In 1955, the teen-aides delivered snacks on a cart, which provided funding for a cardiac synchronizer and baby, and in 1960, a nursing scholarship was established.

In 1979, the junior committee again changed the direction of raising funds when the gift shop opened in the Prescott Building. Customers could buy flowers, gifts, snacks, candy and soda while contributing to the group’s fundraising efforts.

Records show that since 1971, over 150 women and men volunteered at the gift shop. Today, there are around 25 volunteer workers.

The last donation the group gave was $10,000 to the hospital in 2018, with a total of $3 million over the years. They have donated blanket warmers, MRI equipment, music therapy and more.

Gift shop Manager Jean Collage is charged with purchasing supplies, banking, and keeping the shop running, and says she does it because she enjoys helping others.

Dunsavage said patients and visitors stop by to just get away for a few moments, to buy some gifts or candy and find some solitude during difficult times in their lives, which she said is what the gift shop has been all about for 90 years.

“This is a milestone achievement supporting McKeesport Hospital through our mission,” Dunsavage said. “Our gift shop is built on volunteers, and they are committed to this hospital to support the community.”