Despite a downpour that forced a last-minute change of plans, the 30th anniversary celebrations of the West Elgin Community Health Centre were a smash success.
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Held July 10 at the centre, and hosted by Kristina Pringle, the chair of the centre’s anniversary committee, the celebrations provided an opportunity for invited dignitaries and officials to share and reflect on the accomplishments of the centre and its ongoing benefits to the West Elgin community.
Greetings were brought by local mayors, Elgin County’s warden, the area MP and MPP, and from Sarah Hobbs, chair of the province’s Alliance of Community Health Centres. Current centre staffers Barry Fellinger and Andy Kroeker read the land acknowledgment and provided a “state-of-the-union” overview of the centre’s philosophy and impact.
One of the original visionaries who helped found the centre, former municipal leader Graham Warwick, spoke passionately about the hard-working dreamers who, in the early to mid-1990s, convinced local leaders and the provincial government to support this new approach to “wrap -around care” in Southwestern Ontario. Warwick mentioned other early organizers like Harry Mezenberg and Charlie Black who were instrumental in the efforts to establish the centre.
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While the rain forced organizers to pivot from an outdoor event to an indoor celebration, it didn’t diminish the crowd of supporters. Since other events, including planned soccer games, had been cancelled, there were a number of children at the celebration enjoying free hotdogs and ice cream, perusing books from the Rodney Kiwanis booth and enjoying the entertainment of Craig the Comic Juggler.
The evening’s entertainment was headlined by Exit 137, an enjoyable local band who played a number of familiar hits.
Another highlight of the celebration was the unveiling and official opening of the centre’s newly refurbished teaching kitchen. This new space — made possible, in part, by a $130,000 Ontario Trillium Foundation grant — will be used for the centre’s vital cooking and nutrition programs.
The day of celebrations was made possible by the efforts of the hard-working organizing committee and the supportive staff and volunteers. A 50-50 draw, won by Chris Kirshner of West Lorne, also raised $943 for food boxes and Girls Club programs at the centre.
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