March 24, 2011 Volume 10 • Number 12 50¢ Newsstand Price
INSIDe
downtown
Members sought for Housing Board – page 3
www.kcbia.com 372-3242
also
Brownstone Restaurant a delight – page 5 your neighborhood. your newspaper.
Red Cross medical equipment loans program There is a lot you probably don’t know about the Red Cross. The Red Cross, with its signature logo, is one of the most recognized brands in the world. We turn to them in times of need and donate to them in times of crisis. They help when disaster strikes internationally but what they do here at home on a daily basis might just surprise you. “We get a lot of phone calls from people about donating blood,” tells Kamloops volunteer coordinator Irene McClennan. “It is a popular misconception that we are a blood bank. Canada Blood Services are the ones who take care of blood donations. One of the biggest things we do here in Kamloops and area is operate the HELP Program.” Along with local disaster management, first aid, water safety, and the RespectED: Violence & Abuse Prevention program, the Red Cross operates its HELP Program. The HELP (Health Equipment Loan Program) is a completely volunteer driven, community-based program that lends basic medical equipment by donation on a short-term basis. Almost a medical equipment library type system, they help people of all ages get the
(L-R) Red Cross volunteer Patti Wielgoz and volunteer coordinator Irene McClennan.
equipment and tools they need following surgery, illness or injury. “Our depot has evolved over the years to quite a large entity,” continues Irene. “We have 36 volunteers who keep the depot open four and a half days per
week. Currently our goal is to have enough volunteers to operate five full days per week and Saturdays as well which will allow clients easier access to equipment.” The volunteers at the centre keep busy with over 1800 items
in stock including wheelchairs, bed rails, walkers, and bathroom safety equipment. Last year alone, the Kamloops depot served more than 2300 clients, loaned over 5000 pieces and worked more than 4400 volunteer hours. Most clients are allowed to check out equipment for three months, with palliative clients able to keep it as long as they need it. Even clients from neighbouring communities are welcome to borrow and are even allowed to return it at their own local Red Cross office. When equipment is returned or donated to the centre, their skilled medical service volunteers clean and check each piece for safety and repaired as needed. “Most of our medical equipment is donated by the public,” finishes Irene. “Tax receipts can be provided. We currently are raising money to purchase a child’s wheelchair, which is one piece of equipment we do not have. One of our volunteers decided she had too many books so we decided to set up a table in front of the depot with a sign, ‘take a book, make a donation’. We now have two full tables as others are also donating books. It is a great fundraiser – continued on page 2
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