Our Local ROYAL CANADIAN Legion News

For hall rentals or more information about ongoing activities, please call the individual Legion Branch. We welcome submissions to editor@thepromoter.ca. Deadline for the next issue is Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Branch 77 Lakefield (705) 652-7988

• Tuesdays – Darts – 7:30pm

• Thursdays – Shuffleboard – 1pm

• Thursdays – Darts – 7pm

• Fridays – Snooker – 1pm

• Fridays – Shuffleboard – 7pm

• Saturdays – Weekly Meat Draws – 4pm

• Call 705-652-7988 for current events

Branch 238 Fenelon Falls (705) 887-3041

• May 5 – Pub Night – 5pm to 8pm –Hand-battered Engish-style Fish or Meat Pie with crispy chips and coleslaw. Food served from 5pm to 7pm. Then Karaoke with John & Gail until 8pm.

• Thursdays – Hot Lunch – 11:30am to 1pm - $10 includes coffee or tea (except Turkey Day – add $2). Takeout is an extra $1. Call 705-887-3041 to order takeout.

• • Hall rental available – Contact Branch

Branch 239 Bobcaygeon (705) 738-2710

• May 27 - Loonie Auction - Doors open at 5pm, Tickets are $6 available at the bar. Fabulous items to be auctioned including 65” Large Flat Screen TV, digital wine cooler, bar refrigerator. Scratch tickets are available.

• Wednesday - Drop in darts - 7p.m.

Branch 441 Kinmount (705) 488-3462

• Fridays - Bingo - $500 Progressive jackpot; $300 must go each week

Branch 497 Omemee (705) 799-5095

• May 12 – Karaoke – 7pm - Kelroy Classics will bring a selection of their 17,000-song repertoire, as well as their unique style of musical entertainment. Whenever the weather permits, we’ll be out on the patio. Event happens every two weeks until September.

• May 29 – Wooden Clock Workshop –7pm – Register early for this fun event. You can create your own wooden clock

Branch 519 Coboconk (705) 454-8127

• May 20 – Elimination Draw – 2pm –Tickets are !0 with a grand prize of $600. Tickets on sale in the Canteen. BBQ & Entertainment, Meat Roll at 3pm.

Tuesdays – 1pm – Euchre

Tuesdays – 7pm – Open Darts

$5 per person

• Thursday - Drop in shuffleboard - 6:30 pm. Cost is $5pp per week

• Tuesday Night Doubles Dart League –Competitive league – 8pm - $5pp per night – Limited to 40 players, please call the Branch to register

• Saturdays - Meat Draw - Weekly at 5pm and there are plenty to choose from, with options like 18” or 24” size, and shiplap or flat background. The price is $85 per clock and you can register at www.welcometoourporch.com.

• Tuesdays – Darts – 7:30pm

• Thursdays – Mixed Darts – 7:30pm

• Fridays – Drop-in Coffee Time – 8am to 10:30am

1st Wednesday – 10am – Big Buck Euchre - $15 per person

• Saturdays – Music & Meat Roll – Music at 2pm – Meat roll at 3pm

• For more information contact Legion 705-454-8127

Branch 184 Woodville & District (705) 439-2397

• 3rd Sunday of each month –Country Music Jam.

• Tuesdays - Country Line Dancing Lessons – 7 to 9pm - $10 per person

Branch 67 Lindsay (705) 324-2613

• June 17 – Ladies Auxiliary BR. 67 Fundraiser Dance – 7pm t 11pm – come to the Legion for a fun evening of good friends. An age of majority event and great entertainment. Tickets are $10 per person and available at the office or canteen.

4th Thursday – Luncheon – 11:30am to 1pm - Serving soup, sandwich and dessert with tea or coffee. $10pp. Take out orders, please call 705.439.2397.

• Mondays – Progressive Euchre – 7pm - $5 per person

• For information about upcoming events and regular activities, call the Legion Branch at 705-324-2613 or follow us on Facebook

Country almost triples due to the return of cottagers and tourists.

Since then, community leaders and individuals have banded together to get petitions signed, write letters to representatives at the municipal, provincial and federal level, post lawn signs and so much more. The main group, Save the Minden ER, is looking for an urgent public meeting with the CEO and Board Chair of HHHS to obtain full transparency on the decision-making process, an immediate reassessment of the closure’s timing and access to the organization’s transition plan. The community is also seeking information on the closing’s impact on vulnerable populations, healthcare staff, regional growth, and the local infrastructure.

According to a statement from HHHS president and CEO Carolyn Plummer and board chair David O’Brien, the decision to close the Minden emergency department was made in response to an ongoing shortage of nursing and medical staff.

How did this happen? Almost two years before this official closure announcement, the hospital was facing staffing issues. In November of 2021, in an open letter to residents of Haliburton County, Plummer was quoted as saying, “ongoing challenges of staff shortages could lead to the closures, and that the situation could persist for some time.”

In July, 2022, HHHS launched a public awareness campaign that again warned of the potential for ED closures in both Minden and Haliburton due to physician and nurse shortages. On the August long weekend of 2022, according to Global News, 14 Ontario hospitals either reduced ER hours or shut them down due to staffing shortages. At a December 8 HHHS Board meeting, CEO Plummer told Board members that the organization reported “more than two dozen ‘close calls’ in 2022 where emergency departments in Minden and Haliburton have been on the brink of temporary closure.”

And Minden’s not alone. Any Google search will show you that hospitals across Canada have been dealing with staffing shortages, made even more problematic since the pandemic. Rolling closures, reduced hours, decreasing the number of beds available result in longer wait times that are now rampant in Ontario.

Has the Ontario government remained silent? Back in August of 2022, Ontario Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones, when commenting on the closure of Emergency Departments at hospitals across the province, said, “My message to the people of Ontario is, you have a government who is actively engaged and making sure that you have a local hospital that is available, that is sufficiently staffed.”

The Financial Accountability Office of Ontario that provides independent analysis on the state of the Province’s finances, trends in the provincial economy and related matters, released a report in March 2023 reviewing the Province’s health sector spending plan. Here are some excerpts from that report:

• There were at least 145 unplanned emergency department closures in Ontario in 2022. Prior to the emergency department closures in 2022, the FAO is aware of only one unplanned emergency department closure since 2006 due to a lack of doctors.

• Ontario hospitals have identified a lack of available staff, including nurses and physicians, as the key issue causing longer emergency department wait times and closures.

• Overall, while the Province’s measures do address physician shortages in rural emergency departments, which contributes to emergency department closures, the measures do not provide for a sustained increase in emergency department staffing across the Province.

• About 40 percent of emergency departments in Ontario are in small population centres and those emergency departments represent 99 percent of all emergency department closures. In the 2022 Ontario budget, more than $4 billion was pledged for a number of Health Human Resources initiatives, including incentives for nurses, increasing healthcare capacity, and training and recruitment programs.

According to a news release from Save the Minden ER, MPP Laurie Scott, who was actively involved in the decision throughout the process, has supported HHHS’ decision to consolidate services at Haliburton hospital, despite concerns raised by stakeholders and the community. Scott claims she has been assured that Ministry of Health and Ontario Health will work with HHHS to facilitate a smooth transition while continuing to ensure high-quality patient care.

While the Minden ER may not be the busiest in the Kawarthas, due to its proximity to other major hospitals, it is vital as a gateway to those in need of immediate critical care and to take some of the pressure off other area Emergency Rooms as well. Here are the numbers: In 2022, the Minden ER treated over 12,000 patients per year, Haliburton treated 8,000; Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay saw approximately 45,000 patients; and Peterborough Regional Health Centre had more than 90,000 patients through their ER.

The story doesn’t end here. You can follow the