Margie Batson, president of the Missouri Association of Hospital Auxiliaries, encouraged members of her audience to talk among themselves.

Talking wouldn't be rude because it is the goal of the meeting, Batson said.

"Mainly it's the talking back and forth and talking with others to get different ideas that we want to accomplish today." said Batson.

About 115 members of hospital auxiliaries in Southeast Missouri attended the district meeting Tuesday at Drury Lodge in Cape Girardeau.

Frieda Young, district VI chairman, agreed that Tuesday's meeting was designed to let auxiliary members get acquainted.

"We are here to meet each other, to talk to each other, to talk about our problems," Young said. "Let's all become neighbors."

Batson updated the auxiliary members on statewide projects and training programs available.

For example, the MAHA offers tips on selling, coordinating fund-raising events, operating gift shops and motivating volunteers.

The state organization also sponsors a project called Smart Starts for Babies. Hospital auxiliaries encourage new mothers to get babies immunized on time. As part of the project, volunteers call the new mothers with reminders when immunizations are due.

In addition, participating auxiliaries provide new mothers with a book appropriate for a baby.

Kathy Marchi, president of the St Francis Medical Center Auxiliary, and Marian LaFoe, president of the Southeast Missouri Hospital Auxiliary, were co-sponsors of the district meeting.