Let’s get one thing out in the open – I personally love autumn. I have always loved the fall, and probably always will. I find it a time when I feel re-energized and ready to tackle new and promising ventures. As we enjoy the last few weeks of summer and look ahead towards cooler days and (dare I say it), back-to-school, we know that activities, meetings and events will ramp up again at a different pace than we tend to experience in the warmer and less hurried months of summer.
This summer at the CHCN, we encouraged our staff to take well-deserved vacation time over the summer months, we slowed down on internal committee work where possible, and took an opportunity to celebrate each other and our work in the community with a somewhat impromptu staff appreciation barbeque. The Board of Directors also took a bit of a reprieve during the month of July and is now looking forward to welcoming four new members to kick off the 2022/2023 Board year.
None of this is to indicate that we weren’t still working very hard to serve the community, but rather that we recognize the need for a bit of rest and rejuvenation, especially as we continue to navigate a system that has been heavily impacted by COVID-19 for over two years now. Our participation is still ongoing with the Ontario Health Team of Northumberland as we finalize the Strategic Plan, work on Digital Health advances and participate in planning for rural health outreach.
It’s not always easy to navigate the ever-changing pandemic environment, for example, when mask mandates were lifted in the majority of sectors in the province. As a healthcare organization we still require masks to be worn in the interests of protecting our clients, staff and volunteers. We would like to thank everyone who is able to adhere to this requisite which helps to keep the CHCN environment safe. There is much anticipation and speculation about what the next few months will bring with school being completely in-person. Cold and flu season could look vastly different this year – but this remains to be seen and we will of course be prepared to follow public health guidelines in order to provide care when needed. Please stay tuned for information on the influenza vaccine!
I’m pleased to share that we were once again fortunate enough to receive funding from the Canada Summer Jobs program for two summer students who worked with our Community Team facilitating programs for children and youth. Thank you to Skyler (Summer Program Facilitator) and Livi (Summer Program Assistant) for representing the CHCN so well in the community, and for creatively engaging local kids and youth in activities such as; ‘Dancing with Skyler’, ‘Plants to Plates’ and ‘Home Alone’ courses. Your efforts are not unrecognized and we wish you all the best this coming year!
In preparation for the upcoming seasonal change, our clinical programs such as Diabetes Education, Primary Care services and GAIN will continue to offer both in-person and virtual options for care. Programs and Workshops are increasingly being offered on-site and in-person again, with some remaining virtual. Don’t forget to check out our fall calendar of events for information on upcoming opportunities to join a class, or find out about some of our services.
In our ongoing efforts to provide high quality, and equitable care, we are reinvigorating our Client and Family Advisory Committee (CFAR) in September. If you have a particular interest in participating at the committee level, and wish to contribute to our continuous improvement please let Jill Williams (Corporate Administrative Assistant) know by way of email at: jwilliams@porthopechc.ca or by calling 905-885-2626 ext. 269. We would welcome new membership to this valuable committee!
Finally, it is with mixed emotion that we would like to wish our Community Health Promoter, Pam MacDougall the absolute best in the ‘next adventure’ of life – retirement.
Pam has been our Community Health Promoter since day one, back in 2008. She is responsible for so many of our successful community programs and partnerships. Pam has always brought an unimaginable level of energy and enthusiasm to everything she does – and that has been felt by so many staff, volunteers and clients over the years.
On a personal level, I have learned from Pam’s guidance and I will forever be grateful to have worked with someone so tireless and driven. Pam exemplifies our model of care in her work and has represented the CHCN in the community with an incredible amount of passion.
You will be missed by many Pam, thank you for all that you have done, and we all wish you well in your adventures!
In closing, I would like to wish everyone who is prepping for back-to-school the best of luck, and to those who are gearing up for the fall in other ways – remember that while the roses may not be in bloom much longer, you can always take time to stop and smell the pumpkins.
Warmly,
Taryn Rennicks
