Submitted by Nancy Czigany
Secretary PADLC
Save Our Valley Alliance
The Save Our Valley Alliance (SOVA) is still active and has embarked on an ambitious project entitled “Mapping Our Legacy” with the objective of educating the public about our local water supply. This is a 4-part project includes hosting a speakers series, producing interactive drama to engage public involvement on climate change and water issues, the production of a Drinking Water Reference Guide and the creation of a 3 dimensional model of the Alberni Valley Watershed.
Once completed, the map will be portable and will be made available on temporary loan to local government, schools and other community groups for uses such as education, resource planning and tourism development.
This relief map will come at a cost of between $4 and $6 thousand dollars and the Public Education Committee is currently raising money to meet this goal. For fundraising purposes, a map of the Valley has been overlaid with a grid consisting of squares divided into 10 lines each. Community organizations and individuals are invited to support the project by purchasing a “line” for $10 or a whole “square” for $100 – and you can even choose the area of the map or geographical feature you wish to support!
If you are interested in learning more about this project, wish to provide financial support or would like to have a SOVA representative address a meeting of your organization, please contact Edna Cox at 250-723-8362 .
Senior’s Care
Provincial Ombudsman, Kim Carter, is nearing the end of her enquiry into Senior’s Care in British Columbia. There may still time to participate by phoning 1-800-567-3247 or completing the online questionnaire at www.ombudsman.bc.ca/seniors. Last Thursday two representatives from the Ombudsman’s Office toured Heritage Place and Echo Village as part of their investigation. The final report is due to be released in June 2009.
A VIHA Mental Health specialist was also in Port Alberni last week to meet with the Staff of Echo Village to hear concerns and offer practical suggestions for coping with the unique challenges of providing safe, adequate care for all residents now that the Special Care Unit no longer exists and those residents with dementia are now integrated with those who are cognitively well. VIHA is expected to follow this up with a team of three Clinical Specialists who will visit in early February.
We can’t let our seniors down----support care for those who need it and don’t integrate dementia and Alzheimer patients with those are cognitively well .