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Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 45 Issue 48
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 2.00% 3 Year GIC - 2.40% 5 Year GIC - 2.56% Daily Interest 1.65%
Friday, November 30, 2012
Recruitment committee seeks support as physician shortage looms
Don’t forget the pets - Heartland Animal Hospitals in Drayton, Mount Forest and Listowel are acceptiung donations of pet food and treats for dogs and cats during the holiday season. The donations will be distributed through area food banks. From left, Heartland staff members: Dr. Nicole Nicholson, Cheresse Ste. Croix, Mike Kucan and Shirley Droog. photo by Patrick Raftis
Christmas pet food drive underway by Patrick Raftis MOUNT FOREST - “Even pets need our help this holiday season,� says Mike Kucan, business manager of Heartland Animal Hospitals. Donations to food banks generally rise in the spirit of Christmas giving at this time each year. However, Kucan notes, donors don’t always remember that food bank users often also struggle with bills
for pet food, as well as groceries. Kucan says many people may not even be aware that food banks accept pet food donations and that Heartland is organizing the drive as a way of “giving back to the community.� Heartland Animal Hospitals of Mount Forest, Drayton and Listowel will be accepting pet food and treats for dogs and cats until Dec. 20. Donations
will be distributed through the Drayton Food Bank, Mount Forest Community Pantry and The Salvation Army Community Services branch in Listowel. Donors may bring in pet food and cash to all three locations. Pet food and treats will also be available for purchase at Heartland. Cash donations will be used to purchase additional pet food for the drive.
Santa on his way to Christmas parades in Drayton and Moorefield next weekend MAPLETON - In preparation for the big day itself, Old St. Nick will be making preChristmas Eve visits to help make spirits bright at local parades in December. The Mapleton Fire Department is once again organizing its 23rd annual Santa Claus Parade in Drayton which will take place on Dec. 7 at 7:30pm The Moorefield Optimists will be hosting their annual Santa Claus Parade the next day
Dec. 8 at 1pm in Moorefield. In the past, many of those entering floats have taken advantage of participating in both parades and they are encouraged to do so again. Drayton parade participants should assemble in the parking lot at the fairgrounds and ball park at 7pm while the Moorefield parade line up will be at the Murray Group yard at 12:30pm. Parade-goers are also encouraged to bring a non-per-
ishable food item to be placed in the boxes available at the Drayton Fire Hall and K. A. Hammond’s in Moorefield. These donations will be turned over to the local food bank for local distribution. Children will have an opportunity to chat with Santa at those locations following the parade. The Christmas parade in Alma is scheduled for Dec. 23 at 2pm.
Construction booming in Mapleton MAPLETON - Building activity in Mapleton in 2012 continues at a pace well ahead of last year’s levels. Chief building official David Kopp filed a report updating council on building activity this year at the Nov. 13 council meeting. As of the end of October 2012, the municipality has issued building permits for construction valued at $36,968,069, compared to $23,168,065 in the first 10 months of 2011.
That increase has resulted in over $100,000 more flowing to township coffers, as fees collected so far in 2012 amount to $332,149, compared to $201,000 to this point in 2011. October was a strong month for building in Mapleton, exceeding last year’s total construction by over $1 million. There were 38 permits issued in October 2012, for a total value of $3,192,202, compared with 22 permits for construction valued at $2,084,700 in
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October, 2011. Agricultural construction represents the largest block of building activity so far in 2012, with 102 permits issued for construction valued at nearly $10.9 million. Single family dwellings account for the next largest block, with 30 permits issued by the end of October, for construction valued at almost $7.7 million. Seven permits have been issued for commercial activity valued at $372,000.
by Patrick Raftis MINTO – With the MintoMapleton area about to lose two long-serving doctors to retirement in the next year, council here was asked for both moral and financial support for physician recruitment efforts. Council agreed to consider a request for a $10,000 contribution to local health professional recruitment efforts in 2013 budget deliberations after hearing from members of the local recruitment committee at the Nov. 20 meeting. “In Minto-Mapleton, over the next year, we are preparing for the retirement of two longstanding physicians,� one each in Drayton (Dr. Chris Donald) and Harriston (Dr. John Vanderkooy), stated Shirley Borges, chair of the MintoMapleton Health Professional Recruitment Committee in a report to council. “We are also aware of other physicians in our area who will be planning retirement in the next five to 10 years. Without successful recruitment, the shortage of family physicians threatens not only the health and well being of residents of our communities, but also our communities’ potential for growth.� Despite increased interest in the area from new physicians, Borges said, “competition for a limited supply of rural physicians continues to be strong.� While the committee’s general mandate is recruitment of all types of health care professionals, Dr. Christopher Cressey, medical lead for the
Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team, said, “right now, we are focusing on the recruitment of physicians.� Borges noted the FHT has recently added one physician, Dr. Hao Sun, working out of the clinic in Drayton, but more will be needed to keep pace with demand. Cressey noted North Wellington Health Care’s planned construction of the Minto Rural Health Centre at the Palmerston and District Hospital site is vital to local recruitment efforts. Cressey says graduating physicians are looking to work in a team environment in a clinic setting. “You can’t recruit to a solo practice. Nobody wants that,� said Cressey. “These kids are brilliant. They can go wherever they want,� he added. Clinic environment “They are looking for a clinic environment that’s up and running and handles the business end of things and has some older physicians around that they can call on for help when they need it.� Allison Armstrong, NWHC health care recruiter, said , “There’s lots of interest. Our challenge is space right now.� Cressey urged council to continue to support the completion of the rural health centre in order to assist with recruitment efforts. In September, an architectural firm was hired to design the facility. Cressey says he would like to see the project move to the construction phase as soon as possible. “I can sell a hole in the
ground. I can’t sell architects’ drawings. Everyone has seen architects’ drawings and they could be 10 years down the road,� he explained. Minto Deputy Mayor Terry Fisk asked if there was anything council could do in terms of contacting health ministry or Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) officials to keep the project moving forward, “given how severe the shortage is and that we need this new medical centre sooner rather than later.� “I think that would be a good signal,� said Borges. Borges said to be successful, “multi-pronged recruitment strategies,� are required as “we have discovered no single strategy works.� In addition to the establishment of the rural health centre, ongoing recruitment activities include: - marketing initiatives targeting young physicians and nurses; rural - supporting learning experiences and programs for medical students; - attendance at health professional recruitment tour events sponsored by Health Force Ontario; - hosting prospective physicians for community site visits; and - increasing locum opportunities. The committee stated in its report members believe their work “will become even more important as we face the reality of physician retirement over the next few years.�
Northern Lights offers assistance to job-seekers and employers in area by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON – A regional organization is providing some light at the end of the tunnel for area residents struggling with unemployment. The Fergus branch of Northern Lights Canada (NLC) attended the Nov. 13 Mapleton council meeting to provide information about services available to the local community. While Mapleton residents are welcome to access a wide range of services and assistance through the Fergus branch, the organization does provide services on an as-needed at the Drayton library, for those who have trouble making it to Fergus. Northern Lights staff also travel to the Independent Learning Centre in Arthur to meet with clients.
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Local Northern Lights team leader Theresa Shyu said NLC provides services to employers, as well as workers. “We’re helping people who are looking for work, but we really do help employers as well,� by providing assistance with applicant screening and other services, said Shyu, adding that all services provided by Northern Lights are free to employers and job seekers. It’s all part of their mandate to “help people and organizations develop to their potential by providing counsel, education, resources and connections, in a caring, respectful and professional manner.� Northern Lights offers individual assessments by employment counsellors for: goal setting, training options, career exploration and appren-
ticeships. Centre staff will also help with preparation of applications for re-education programs like Employment Ontario’s Second Career program. Workshops are also provided on a regular basis on topics ranging from career decisionmaking, to writing of resumes and cover letters. Literacy and basic skill programs are also provided, as are initiatives targeted at older workers. The NLC Employment Resources centre also offers free computer and internet access, faxing and photocopying and a resource library for use by job seekers. More information on Northern Lights Canada can be found at www.northernlightswcanada.ca/fergus.
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