The Sylvan Lake Urgent Care Committee (UCC) is hoping to form a new Health Foundation for the Sylvan Lake area.
The UCC is an active fundraising body that has now outgrown the services of the Stettler Health Foundation which currently manages their financial affairs.
The purpose of the health foundation is to be able to solicit and receive gifts, financial or otherwise for the benefit of the Advanced Ambulatory Care Service (AACS).
Plans for working to create the new foundation began last year, UCC chair Susan Samson said.
“We are working with Alberta Health Services (AHS) to attract interested foundation board directors and to develop bylaws. Once this is in place, AHS approves it, and we then apply to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to secure charitable status.”
To make the new foundation a possibility, the UCC has already started the process of attracting interested directors, and AHS has started to work on a template for bylaws specific to Sylvan Lake.
The foundation will be made up of a board of directors of five to nine people, Samson said.
“A Sylvan Lake Health Foundation will have one board position held by AHS which will give us closer connections and communications to the AACS.”
Sylvan Lake is fortunate to have the AACS available to provide treatment for urgent but non-life-threatening injuries and illnesses, Samson said.
“The AACS is open seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and staffed by professionals.”
“Community volunteers continue to support this vital service by fundraising, welcoming new doctors to our community, and showing appreciation to all our healthcare workers,” she added.
Individuals interested in applying to be a director of the Sylvan Lake and Area Health Foundation can do so by contacting Samson at susamson56@gmail.com.