Independent the
Stettler SERVING THE
Heart
Oct. 29, 2014 STETTLER, ALBERTA
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Members of IQ, a four-piece a cappella group based in Innisfail, perform at the launch for An Affair for the Heart at the Stettler Community Hall on Saturday, Oct. 25.
Gala event kicks off $1-million campaign
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Joel van der Veen INDEPENDENT REPORTER Each story was different, but the message was the same: it’s sometimes hard to appreciate what we’ve got until we really need it. The stories were told by patients and their families, people who have experienced the level of health care available in Stettler first hand. For some, it made the difference between life and death. “Without a doubt, I’m here tonight because of the Stettler hospital and staff,” said Robert “Buzz” Andersen, who received emergency care after suffering a heart attack. Krista Dryden, who was taken to hospi-
tal after suffering a gunshot wound in May 2012, shared her memories of the ordeal, saying, “Thank God we have the services we do in Stettler.” The stories served to illustrate why a crowd of close to 200 had gathered for a gala event at the Stettler Community Hall on Saturday, Oct. 25. The evening served as the launch for “An Affair for the Heart,” a $1-million campaign led by the Stettler Health Services Foundation (SHSF) to fund capital renovations and expansion of local health facilities. The foundation’s chair, Leona Thorogood, told the crowd that, aside from the dialysis unit, the Stettler Hospital and
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Care Centre hasn’t seen any major physical improvements in three decades. “We pass by those walls, thinking, all must be well, someone must be taking care of it,” said Thorogood, adding that as the province struggles to meet demand in urban centres, rural health facilities are often overlooked. To maintain and improve those facilities, she said, communities need to be proactive, and the foundation is taking the lead with its new campaign. Reeve Wayne Nixon of the County of Stettler, who said grace for the meal, commended the SHSF for its efforts to advocate on the region’s behalf. continued on page 4
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