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RICHARD ROLKE
RICHARD ROLKE
WORLD CURLING FEDERATION PHOTO
Armstrong’s Ina Forrest and Vernon’s Sonja Gaudet will once again be representing Canada in Sochi for the Paralympic Winter Games in March. competitions and practices. Gaudet is looking forward to spending more time with Forrest, a fellow member of the Vernon Curling Club. “We get to train together and we make a solid front end. It’s really exciting,” said Gaudet. The Canadian Curling Association is expecting big
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London, Ont. Prince George’s Joe Rea will be the coach while Wendy Morgan, of Burlington, Ont. will serve as the team leader. “It’s a great and cohesive team with a lot of experience and some great new athletes,” said Gaudet. Leading up to Sochi, the team’s schedule will be dominated by
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Paralympians headed to Sochi Ina Forrest and Sonja Gaudet have their eye on the prize as they get ready to do battle for Canada. Forrest, from Armstrong, and Vernon’s Gaudet have been named to the national wheelchair curling team for the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games March 7 to 16 in Sochi, Russia. “I’m very excited,” said Gaudet, who was in Winnipeg for the announcement Friday. “I’m happy to have maintained a spot on the team.” International competition is nothing new for either of them. Forrest, who plays second, and lead Gaudet were part of the team that won gold at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver, while Gaudet was part of Team Canada when wheelchair curling made its debut as a Paralympic medal sport in 2006 in Turin, Italy. Gaudet is considered the world’s most celebrated wheelchair curler. She will be seeking her third Paralympic gold medal to go along with three World Championship titles (2009, 2011, 2013). She is the only wheelchair curler in Paralympic history to have won two Paralympic gold medals. Gaudet was named to the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame this year. Besides her 2010 Paralympic gold medal, Forrest is a threetime world wheelchair curling champion. Making up the rest of Team Canada in Sochi will be Jim Armstrong of Cambridge, Ont., Dennis Thiessen of Sanford, Man. and Mark Ideson of
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things from the wheelchair curlers. “We couldn’t be happier with the team we’ve nominated to send to Sochi, and we’re confident this group of athletes gives us our best possible chance to win an unprecedented third Paralympic gold medal,” said Greg Stremlaw, CCA chief executive officer.
Vernon Jubilee Hospital is jammed to the rafters and flu season hasn’t even started yet. There were 196 admitted patients Thursday although there are only 148 funded acute care beds. “The week has been ranging from 185 to 195 patients. That’s where we start off in the morning,” said Assunta Shepherd, director of acute services. It’s not known why admissions has climbed because none of the cases are related to seasonal circumstances such as flu. “We have some patients from out of town. We’re not sure if they’re here for the holidays,” said Shepherd. Staff is trying to maintain a flow between admissions and discharges, and Shepherd has praise for everyone from doctors and nurses to lab technicians and support workers. “We have brought extra nursing staff and care aides in. We are doing whatever we need to do to provide the best care possible,” she said. Ten unfunded beds have also been opened for patients. Shepherd admits that conditions could become even more challenging once seasonal illnesses begin and injuries related to slipping on ice or skiing happen. “Those are the kinds of things we deal with here,” she said. “It may lead to cancelled elective surgery to help with emergency admissions.” The Interior Health Authority is currently preparing for the start of construction of the two top floors in the Polson tower. It’s anticipated the project will be done by the summer of 2015. The two floors will contain 60 beds, with 14 being new and 46 relocating from elsewhere in the hospital. The majority of the 60 beds on floors six and seven will be in private rooms complete with their own washrooms.
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