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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-05-19, Page 18PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2005. Open to the Sky, minister’s message Rev. Pat Cook’s message at' Sky. Londesborough United Church on The responsive psalm. Psalm 104. Sunday, May 15 was Open to the speaks of God’s wondrous deeds. In Seniors hold card party FROM LONDESBORO Superstition about Friday the 13th didn’t keep card players home from the card parly at the Londesborough Community Hall sponsored by the Happy Gang Seniors. There were 20 and a half tables of euchre players that evening. It turned out to be lucky for many in attendance as there were several ties when the scores were counted. Sharing first place with 84 points were Bob and Pauline McMichael and Gordon and Yvonne Dougherty. In a three-way tie of 75 points for third place were Watson Reid and Glen Carter, Kay and Vera Hesselwood and Geraldine Dale and Evelyn Christensen. Two couples also shared the most lone hands prize. Successfully playing six lone hands were Dolores Howatt, Dorothy Dalton. Thelma Deveau and Doris McClinchey.Six persons were share-the-wealth winners. The next card party in Londesborough will be Friday, June 10. the morning’s gospel reading, John 7: 37-39, Jesus says, “if any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.” The senior choir will practise at l() a.m. on Sunday, May 22. Rev. Pat will participate in a pulpit exchange on May 22 with North Street United Church in Goderich. May 29 is Conference Sunday and the UCW will be conducting the service at Londesborough United. Ladies of Londesborough United are invited to Auburn UCW’s meet­ ing at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 24. Ann Brabender, program and social services co-ordinator for Huronview will be the guest speaker. Volunteers are needed to prepare the church cabin at Camp Menesetung for the season. If you can help in this regard, contact Laura (523-4429) or Brenda (524-4296). LHEALTH ON THE HILL J Seaforth Community Hospital Site: Member of the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance The Seaforth Community Hospital Focus Group has completed a study regarding community healthcare needs and presented their findings to the Seaforth Community Hospital Local Advisory Committee (LAC) and the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance Board of Directors. The HPHA Board of Directors is pleased to provide the following update regarding the Alliance’s deliberations and findings in response to the concerns and issues Group. HURON PERTH HEALTHCARE ALLIANCE raised by the Focus • LONG DISTANCE CALLING: The Alliance is exploring long term solutions for access at all four hospital sites. The Family Health Team for the Seaforth area is anticipated to have a toll-free line. The games begin • BRUSSELS SATELLITE CLINIC: The Seaforth Community Hospital Trust continues to evaluate re-opening the Brussels Clinic as medical resources allow. It was euchre night in Londesborough on Friday. The tables were filled at the Community Hall as people vied for top prizes. (Vicky Bremner photo) PEOPLE AROUND LONDESBORO Thursday was tag day for the Clinton Public Hospital and Helen Lee called to say the event raised $82.40 in Londesborough. Some of us missed being tagged! She expressed her thanks to everyone who gave so willingly. Rumour has it that, at time of reporting, there will be yard sales this coming Saturday in Londesborough at K & A Repairs, 306 Main St. and 286 Elizabeth St., By Saturday morning perhaps others will have decided to share their treasures as well. Weather may be a factor in the decision to set up a table or two so be sure to check the whole village on your morning visit. The broken hydro pole at the main corner of the village was replaced on Sunday morning but the incident was cause for much conversation. If you gave the old pole a look in the past two weeks you likely noticed it was riddled with holes. It would seem that that particular pole was erected when Tom and Genevieve Allen started the mill on the next corner. The mill required a heavier pole and heavier wires for the output of hydro needed to run the mill machinery. Before the arrival of the bucket truck, linesmen climbed the pole(s) to repair the wires or change the light bulbs using spurs on their boots. Thus the holes in the pole. I remember the iron pegs ham­ mered into the poles for repairmen to climb. Gordon Radford tells me that the original pole on that corner was climbed regularly to change the light’s timing by Jack Nott. Jack lived in the house next to the Masonic Lodge. When streetlights first came to the village, residents were asked to donate yearly toward the system. Other monies for the lights were raised through events such as dances. Eventually the cost was added to the municipal taxes. WNv surveillance begins • EMERGENCY SERVICES: 24/7 Emergency Services are -core services at all four Alliance hospital sites. An Emergency Department, and the clinical services which support it, are vital to responding to emergency needs and sustaining the primary care network in the community. • OUTPATIENT SURGICAL AND ORTHOPEDIC CLINICS: Outpatient surgical services are undergoing an intensive review across the Alliance; the Seaforth site’s resources are an important consideration in this process. The only decrease in these services in the last year has been the discontinuation of the monthly orthopedic clinic for personal health reasons of the visiting physician. On a positive note, the internal medicine clinic is now weekly. • GOVERNANCE REFORM Stakeholder Representation: Provincially, Hospital Boards are moving away from “ex officio” appointments; elected officials are welcomed to apply for Board and LAC vacancies. We continue to welcome opportunities to engage municipal governments in Alliance activities. Policy Change: The Alliance is formalizing a longer-term strategic plan to allow the organization to plan in the best possible manner given our resources, funding challenges and the healthcare needs of our communities. At the same time, Ontario’s healthcare system is undergoing significant reform; the impact on hospitals is still to be determined. z The Huron County Health Unit is asking for the public’s help again this year in efforts to detect West Nile virus in the community. Local residents are being asked to report the location of dead crows and blue jays to the health unit. Crows and blue jays are particularly sensi­ tive to West Nile virus and are mon­ itored to determine the extent of viral activity in a particular area. People reporting the location of dead crows and blue jays are asked to contact the health unit at 519-482- 3416 Ext. 2001 or if calling long dis­ tance toll free at 1-877-837-6143 Ext. 2001. Callers are asked to leave their name, phone number and full address (including 911 address and postal code) and to describe the loca­ tion of the dead bird. Since the health unit is limited in the number of birds it is able to sub­ mit for laboratory testing, the Health Unit will not be picking up all dead crows and bluejays. Health unit staff will make arrangements for pick-up in the event a dead bird is selected for submission to the laboratory. All other dead birds should be discarded in the following manner: • Wear protection over hands (use gloves or cover with two plastic bags); • Do not touch dead birds with bare hands; • Bury the bird at least two feet deep in an area where it will not be disturbed, or double bag the bird and place it out with regular house­ hold garbage; and • Wash hands thoroughly after­ wards using soap and water, or use hand sanitizer The public is also reminded that the single most important measure in reducing mosquitoes is to control the areas where they breed. Take a look around your home, cottage, and place of business, and get rid of places that are potential mosquito breeding sites. Piles of leaves, clogged eave- stroughs, tires, rubbish, and debris may all collect water and are areas of concern. Turn over or drill holes in all con­ tainers that may collect water. Remember, some mosquitoes only need a cup of water to breed in. While not a formal conclusion of the Focus Group, availability of physiotherapy services was noted in their survey results. Inpatient physiotherapy has continued, uninterrupted at the Seaforth Hospital; outpatient physiotherapy and occupational therapy have resumed. The Board and the LAC acknowledge the cooperation and efforts of the SCH Trust, the Seaforth Community Development Trust and Huron East Municipal Council with respect to the Seaforth Community Health Centre and physician recruitment. The Alliance Board and Seaforth LAC remain committed to working with the community to ensure the most appropriate access to local healthcare and that Seaforth Community Hospital continues to be a strong and viable site for primary care. LAC meetings are open to the public; please contact Grace Dolmage at 527-3001 for meeting dates and times. Membership vacancies are advertised annually with applications welcomed from interested individuals in our community.