The Moose Mountain Health Care Recruitment Committee (MMHCRC) invited interested participants to an informational meeting at the Arcola Optimist Legion Hall on Monday, Dec. 18.
The committee itself was first started in 2007 and had approximately 15-20 people sharing the work of the group. Now they are made up of four women: Sheila Sim, Brenda Walter, Bev Grimes, and Lynne Brady.
Although the group has dwindled, their importance remains high, they have worked tirelessly to ensure the hospital in Arcola remains open with 24-hour service.
Community member and healthcare worker, Auldene Craig, spoke to this: “Year after year they assess the needs and fundraise. They’ve put in 100s of hours of personal time. I challenge people with this question: If our emergency is not open 24 hours a day then where is the next closest acute and emergency care? Estevan, Weyburn, Regina.”
Craig emphasized the importance of the service to the area explaining her family has all accessed hospital services over the years from broken bones and stitches to health emergencies including a personal one of a severe allergic reaction, which without emergency services close by she may not have survived.
“We need to maintain a viable facility and the community need to be assured it will remain open,” Craig added. She went on to say that the MMHCRC’s efforts ensure this.
To date the MMHCRC have recruited 13 doctors to the area and are hoping to bring another one in January. One of the doctors they helped recruit is working in Carlyle as well. They have also been responsible for recruiting five nurses to Arcola and surrounding communities to ensure the hospital remains open.
“In September 2008 we needed a house for a physician, so the RM of Moose Mountain gave us a mortgage on one,” Grimes said. “We maintain four houses. One is owned by the RM of Brock, one by the Town, one we have the mortgage on, and one is owned by others. But, we’re responsible for painting, maintenance, house cleaning, and furniture.”
Grimes added that with a new doctor hopefully coming in January the donation of a television or bed would be greatly appreciated.
When a new doctor comes to the area the Moose Mountain Health Care Recruitment Committee gives them $5,000, three months car rental, as well as six months free lodging with internet and cable.
“We started doing this and thought we would only be doing it for three or four years and it would be fixed,” Sheila Sim explained. “It’s not going to be. Doctors are going to come and go. We would love it if they stayed longer. They’re all very good doctors and we’re very thankful to have them here for the time that they are, but they come and go. And every time we recruit a doctor we’re looking at $10,000 in recruitment and a $12,000 mortgage, which gives us a $22,000 bill just right there.”
They reported that currently in their bank account is $17,016.09 and were unable to host their usual Christmas dinner fundraiser citing the difficulties of the economic downturn. Currently they are hoping to develop a different fundraiser and are welcoming any ideas that people in the community might have. The MMHCRC now has a Facebook page and one idea was to gather donated items to sell as a fundraiser.
The MMHCRC is a larger entity than serving just Arcola as the doctors that they recruit may work in Carlyle or Arcola and provide satellite services to Lampman, Stoughton, White Bear, and Wawota.
If interested in learning more about what you can do to help or if you have a fundraising idea contact one of the committee members: Sheila Sim, Brenda Walter, Bev Grimes, and Lynne Brady.
