Community Clinic Board of Directors 2017/2018

Introducing the Board of Directors for 2017/2018, declared at the Community Clinic AGM on June 14th

Standing (left to right):  Carol Eaton, Bill Davies (President), Patrick Lapointe, Jason Majid (Vice President),  Dr. Jaris Swidrovich, Gertie Paul.  Sitting (left to right): Jason Cruikshank, Anne Doucette, Karen Cederwall.

New to the Board are…

Karen Cederwall, Executive Director of the Saskatoon Student Wellness Initiative Toward Community Health (SWITCH), which operates out of the Clinic’s Westside location.  Karen has over 13 years of experience in non-profit organizations primarily with the Diabetes Canada (formerly the Canadian Diabetes Association). Through many and varied roles, Karen has developed skills in operations, project and change management, labour relations, team leadership and occupational health and safety.

Patrick Lapointe returns after having served on the Board in the 70s and late 80s.  During that time, he was also a social worker and community developer for the Clinic.  From 1993 to 2011, Patrick served as Executive Director of the Clinic, representing our co-operative on numerous committees and holding executive positions with many organizations including Saskatchewan Health, the Canadian Alliance of Community Health Care Associations, Saskatoon Age Concern Council and the Community Health Co-operative Federation.

Dr. Jaris Swidrovich is a full-time lecturer at the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition at the University of Saskatchewan and is Canada’s “first and only self-identified First Nations Doctor of Pharmacy”.  Jaris’ relationship with the Clinic began over a decade ago when he volunteered, as a Pharmacy student, with SWITCH and he now volunteers with SWITCH as a pharmacist mentor.  He is also on the Board of Directors of Sanctum, Saskatchewan’s first hospice with respite and supportive care for people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Returning Board members are….

Jason Cruickshank worked in Member Relations for the Saskatoon Community Clinic in 2009/2010 and is currently working in IT with ProjectLine Solutions. Jason was re-elected to the board in 2016, having previously sat on the Clinic Board in 2011. Growing up in Winnipeg, Jason received a Media Production diploma from Assiniboine Community College and later attended Brandon University. He now lives in Martensville with his wife and daughter.

Bill Davies is in his third term as President of the Community Clinic Board.  Bill has a solid history with community clinics having been a board member of the Regina Community Clinic while living there and strong co-operative roots that date back to his rural Saskatchewan upbringing.  He has held senior executive positions with the government of Saskatchewan and has worked with labour, health, intergovernmental affairs, postsecondary education and the Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation.

Anne Doucette has been a Board member since 2006, serving as President of the Board for seven terms.  During that time, Anne served as President of the Saskatchewan Federation of Community Clinics, was a founding member of the committee that formed the national organization of health care co-ops (Health Care Co-operative Federation of Canada), represented the organization in international forums and represented the provincial Federation on the Board of the Saskatchewan Co-operative Association.

Carol Eaton was elected to the Clinic’s board on January 13, 2016. She holds a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CMA) designation and a Bachelor of Vocational Technical Education degree. Carol has worked for 40 years in management, finance and administration with a number of public and private businesses and has volunteered as a board member in a number of organizations including Affinity Credit Union, the YWCA and Transition House (Regina).

Jason Majid was elected to the Clinic’s Board in 2015.  He is Vice-President, Legal Counsel at Concentra, Canada’s leading provider of wholesale finance and trust solutions to credit unions.  Prior to joining Concentra, Jason practiced with international law firms in the Arabian Gulf, where his clients included governments, healthcare institutions, insurers and pharmaceutical companies, among others.

Gertie Paul has been a member of the Clinic since 1970 and was elected to the Board in 2016.  She is a Chartered Professional Accountant, and worked as an auditor for the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for 22 years.  She also facilitated workshops within the Federal Government on topics including Diversity, Stress Management, Communications, Harassment Awareness and Conflict Resolution.

 

 

 

 

 

Resolutions Passed @ AGM

At the 2017 Annual General Meeting, held on June 14th, 2017 the following resolutions were passed by the membership.

Resolution #1

Need for a Saskatchewan Seniors Advocate

Be it resolved that the SCC urge the provincial government to establish an independent Seniors Advocate, similar to the BC Office of the Seniors Advocate, to monitor and analyze seniors’ services and issues, and make recommendations to government and service providers to address both individual and systemic issues.

This resolution was brought to the membership for consideration as the number of Saskatchewan residents 75 years of age or older is expected to surpass 100,000 over the next two decades and that many seniors, especially those in long term care and assisted living, or who must access services provided by government, healthcare providers, and the private sector, are potentially vulnerable to abuse, neglect, or inability to assist themselves.  Other jurisdictions have demonstrated that an independent, proactive advocate is the most effective way to avoid and correct problems encountered by vulnerable people.

Resolution #2

UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada

Be it resolved that CHSA adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a reconciliation framework and to apply its principles, norms, and standards to Clinic policy and core operational activities involving Indigenous peoples and their lands and resources. This would include, but not be limited to the following:

  1. Commit to fostering and maintaining respectful relations with all Aboriginal peoples and honoring the traditional worldview, knowledge and practices of Indigenous peoples for health and well-being.
  2. Ensure that Aboriginal peoples have equitable access to jobs, training and education opportunities and that Aboriginal communities gain long-term sustainable benefits from Clinic public health initiatives.
  3. Commit to increasing the cultural competency and cultural safety training opportunities for all Clinic employees.

This resolution speaks to the Call to Action outlined in the June 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission report.  Section 92 of the Call to Action calls on corporate Canada to adopt the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and take action to promote education and understanding as well as efforts of reconciliation.

Handicraft Club Seeking Members

The Community Clinic Craft Club is a group of women interested in baking, knitting, crocheting, or doing other crafts. Men are also invited!  To support the Community Clinic, we sell our handmade goods at monthly bake and craft sales at the main clinic.  The dates are posted at the showcase in the lower level of the Downtown Clinic.

We welcome new members and we encourage anyone to help out at the sales. We also encourage people to offer new ideas at our meetings. We meet monthly on the 4th Tuesday of the month at 1:30 p.m. (except July) at the Mel Langer Building, 424 – 1st Avenue North, down the back alley from the main building. We often invite a speaker or resource person to tell us about a new craft. We then bring out our china cups and saucers (as we think of ourselves a very special group) and have coffee, tea and a dainty.

If you decide to join our group, you need to be a member or become a member of the Saskatoon Community Clinic. You will receive 2/3 of the proceeds from the sale of items you make; the club’s 1/3 share will help  purchase  wheelchairs, furniture, books, toys for play areas and many more worthwhile items for the Clinic.  If you can knit, crochet, bake, sew, or make jewellery, please consider joining our group. For further information call Sonja Freiermuth @306-374-6002 or call Ingrid Larson, Member Relations Director, at the Downtown Clinic.

If you want to donate wool, material, or even kitted goods, we have a donation box at the Downtown Clinic at the back door near the reception area. Please leave your name and phone number so we may thank you for your support for the Handicraft Club.

Congratulations to our Outstanding Volunteer

The Board of Directors was pleased to present the 2017 Community Health Services Outstanding Volunteer Contribution award to Lynn Harvey at the Semi-annual Meeting in January.

Lynn has been a volunteer with the CHSA Seniors Advisory Council and the Kohkums Strengthening the Circle Program for many years.  Lynn first joined CHSA as staff in January 1983 and worked in the Counselling Department at both the Downtown and Westside Clinics until her retirement in December 2009.

After retiring from paid employment she continued to give of her time, generously providing hundreds of volunteer hours to Community Clinic activities. She has been active helping with seniors advisory council fundraising events, at Seniors Advisory Council meetings, as well as providing volunteer support to the Aboriginal Grandmothers or Kohkums group.  She was also the volunteer gardener for many years keeping the flower beds at the Downtown Clinic beautiful for all to enjoy.

Not only has she has been generous with her time she is has always been helpful and kind to everyone she has worked with and supported.

Lynn has retired from her volunteer activities with the Seniors Advisory Council and gardening however continues to help out with the Strengthening the Circle program.  We celebrate her many contributions and thank her for her service.

 

For information about our Counselling and Community Services Seniors Programs and Volunteer Opportunities, please contact Laurie Stone, Seniors Volunteer Co-ordinator, at 306 664-4282 or email [email protected]

 

 

 

Volunteer with the Seniors’ Program

Are you looking for a meaningful volunteer opportunity? Our new Community Clinic Seniors Program Volunteer Opportunities brochure is available here.