Fairfield Memorial Hospital Candy Stripers (1964)

Candy Stripers originated as a high-school civics class project in East Orange, New Jersey, in 1944. The high school volunteers wore striped uniforms. The project caught on around the country and was popular for many years.

The “Candy Striper” program at Fairfield Memorial Hospital was started in 1964 by Mr. Edgardo Bosch, the head anesthetist at Fairfield Memorial Hospital at the time. The idea was to offer a program that would encourage young people to choose a career in health care. The first year of the program, it was only open to FCHS students. By 1967 the program was open to students at Cisne and Wayne City. In fact, there were so many applicants in 1967 that only students in the upper one-third of their class were allowed to take the course.

There was a training course to complete in addition to working two or three hour shifts one day per week as volunteers. Their duties included: running errands for patients, delivering flowers, serving meals, straightening patient rooms, escorting patients, and visiting with patients. Desired qualities of a potential Candy striper were that they needed to be willing, responsible, friendly, and patient. The local hospital volunteers of the late 1960 also wore pink and white striped aprons.

Today, area high school students can elect to take a medical careers class as part of their high school curriculum. The class works with the hospital to provide hands on experience working within the hospital. Many students go on to a career in the medical profession.

(gina) Revised DGS 3/2022