The Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital Auxiliary has awarded $60,000 in grants to 15 projects around the hospital. Auxiliary President Joan Schafer announced the grants at the auxiliary's annual dinner earlier this month.

The auxiliary gave $25,000 to the Lebanon Community Hospital Foundation, as the final installment of its pledge of $100,000 to the Healing Garden. Foundation Director Betty Koehn said the auxiliary fulfilled its pledge one year early.

Other recipients were Pastoral Services, which was awarded $6,300 for a chapel remodel; the hospital laboratory, which received more than $3,100 for a special camera to take pictures of microscope images; surgery, which received $6,600 for an arthroscopic surgery color printer; and cardiac rehabilitation, which was awarded more than $5,000 for an elliptical cross trainer exercise machine.

The funds come from sales at the auxiliary's Garden Grounds espresso bar and the Caring Corner gift shop at the hospital, as well as semi-annual book sales and other events.

The auxiliary has a membership of 96, including 29 lifetime members.