The warmth of a chinook breeze welcomed Pincher Creek and area residents as they gathered on January 13 to say “thank you” to their local health-care professionals.
Dozens of health practitioners and interested locals gathered at the Pincher Creek Royal Canadian Legion on Sunday, Jan. 13, 2019 for a Healthcare Professionals Appreciation Event.
Country artist Ryan Lindsay engaged the crowd in some original and cover tunes, while attendees mixed and mingled, and enjoyed a few snacks, courtesy of the newly-formed Pincher Creek Health Professions Attraction and Retention (A & R) Committee.
Town councillor, Scott Korbett, says that the A & R committee hopes to address the struggles a small town has with finding doctors, nurses and other health-care workers.
“We hope that by formalizing this…we can actually help our health-care professionals attract people to this community and keep them here,” said Korbett.
According to Korbett, the committee will also serve as a resource for local health practitioners.
“[Healthcare workers] don’t need to wonder who to talk to,” said Korbett. “You come and see us, and we’ll help you through it, and we’ll do everything we can to make everything work out for everybody.”
Events like this demonstrate that appreciation is at the heart of the A & R committee.
“We do value what we have, and we’re not oblivious to just how good we’ve got it,” said Korbett.
The committee members have vested interest and experience in local health care, including Maggie Olson, a retired registered nurse who now offers her expertise to the committee.
“I hope that I can be an asset to the committee, to the community again, and to the people,” said Olson.
Current RN Stacey Kettles is encouraged by what she sees.
“I feel supported in large by the community and by other agencies in town,” said the local nurse of 20 years. “But it’s nice to have it pulled together under one roof. It’s good to know that people care about the caregivers.”
Health-care aid Dixie Millar hopes this is just the beginning of great things.
“I hope that they continue it and get more people involved” said Millar. “The more people involved, the more you can get done.”