A group of hardworking volunteers in Langley, B.C., announced Sunday they are donating $1.5 million to help their local hospital build a new emergency department.

The 220 members of the Langley Memorial Hospital Auxiliary raised the money mostly through a volunteer-run thrift store and hospital gift shop.

Vivian Smith, executive director of the Langley Memorial Hospital Foundation, said the auxiliary's $1.5-million gift brings the total amount raised so far in this campaign to $8.5 million. The foundation's goal is $15 million, which will help pay for a new emergency department and MRI suite.

"One of the things I find so humbling is that the auxiliary runs all of its operations with volunteers. They have no paid staff," Smith said Sunday at a celebratory event.

"These men and women work tirelessly every day throughout the year to raise funds for their community. I think they should be amazingly proud of themselves."

Over the past 15 years, the auxiliary has donated more than $10 million to the hospital foundation, much of it raised at its Penny Pincher Thrift Store in downtown Langley.

Thelma Boileau, president of the auxiliary, said last year's thrift store sales were about $600,000, most of which went to the hospital.

"Our thrift store depends heavily on the donations they receive from the community. Without those, we wouldn't be able to operate," Boileau said Sunday.

Smith said the hospital foundation expects to reach its $15-million goal sometime next year.

Langley Memorial Hospital opened in 1948. The new emergency department will be twice the size of the existing one.

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