Jane Jackson has volunteered for the longest continuing period since the “Barn” was established in the 1960s and was invited to speak at the recent official opening of the new “Barn” on June 24.

Her historical account was very informative and excerpts are as follow:

“In the early 1960s, the main source of income for the Hospitals Auxiliary was the Hospital Christmas Fair. A popular booth was the White Elephant stall, selling anything from jewellery, clothing, stuffed animals to kitchen appliances. Lady Tucker worked at this booth collecting items from year to year, storing them in a barn on their property at the ‘Lagoon’ on South Shore, Paget.

“In 1963, there were so many saleable items donated by friends and members that it would have been impossible to find space for them at the fair. Sir Henry and Lady Tucker volunteered to hold a rummage sale, prior to the fair, from the barn in October. This was a great success, taking in $200.

“Because of this outstanding event, the Tuckers kindly offered their barn to the Auxiliary for a permanent rummage sale. After a lot of hard work by the committee, friends and family, the ‘Barn’ was opened on Saturday, April 4, 1964 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The founding members were Lady Tucker, Madame Helene Frith, Mrs. Brownlow Tucker, and Mrs. Walter Staebler.”

My mother, Mrs. Walter Wadson, (a close friend of Lady Tucker’s) would definitely have been on this list except she was living in Spain at that time. She returned in June and one of the first calls was from Lady Tucker.

She was told she had a job and to report for duty that Saturday! A desperate cry for a volunteer. A cry that has gone on for 38 years! (My mother worked for the next 28 years until she was 86 years old!)

“I worked at the Barn in the summer of 1969 for a few months helping my mother. I was hooked. Living in Switzerland at the time, I only was able to return again in the summer of 1971. Finally in 1975, I returned to Bermuda and have been at the Barn ever since — and served as chairman for the years 1988-1992. It was during this tenure that we passed the $1,000,000 mark!

“Presently we have a team of roughly 77 volunteers, and donate roughly $250,000 a year to the hospital. The Barn has now become the leading moneymaker for the hospital, and may this remain long!”

Volunteers were there from the beginning