Who We Are: The History of Valley Children's Guilds

In 1949, a group of civic-minded women saw a need for a dedicated pediatric hospital in our Valley. As these five women moved forward with their vision of creating a "hospital for children only," so emerged the idea of a guild system. Since their inception, the Guilds have been a vital part of Valley Children's.

The Guilds have two primary objectives: 

• To raise financial support
• To develop ongoing community support for Valley Children's

It was through the fundraising efforts of the original Guilds that Valley Children's Hospital was constructed in 1952 at its original site. Today, our Guilds are the largest financial contributors, having raised over $35 million.

Our Founding Mothers

We honor our founding mothers – Agnes Crocket, Gail Goodwin, Helen Maupin, Patty Randall, and Carolyn Peck – and thank them for their vision of establishing Valley Children's Healthcare, which cares for 1.3 million children in our service area. 

All-Guild Picnic and Guild Coordinating Council

As a way to celebrate the annual funds raised by the Guilds, at the end of each calendar year, the Guilds hold the time-honored "All Guild Picnic" and present a check to Valley Children's. This event takes place each year on the fourth Wednesday of May, and all Guild members are encouraged to attend.

The Guilds Coordinating Council was established in 1949 to ensure each Guild stays up to date. A representative from each Guild attends the quarterly Council meeting and reports key information back to their Guild.