Lacombe County has offered its support for a proposed Sylvan Lake health foundation.
Sylvan Lake and Area Urgent Care Committee is taking steps to form a health foundation that can be used to solicit and receive gifts for the benefit of Sylvan Lake Advanced Ambulatory Care Service. Donations to the foundation will eligible for a charitable receipt.
Committee chair Susan Samson told county council the foundation will have its own board of directors, which will include an Alberta Health Service (AHS) representative.
The Stettler Health Foundation has been handling donations but Sylvan Lake has outgrown that service, said Samson in a letter to the county.
County manager Tim Timmons said the committee will be making similar requests for support from all of the other communities served by the urgent care centre.
No financial commitment was asked of the county, he said. “Really, all they’re looking for is moral support.”
Creating a foundation would be beneficial, he said.
“I think this is a a good idea.It provides a process for them to really advance their next steps.”
Sylvan Lake’s urgent care centre opened in June 2018 and provides diagnosis and treatment for non-life-threatening injuries and illnesses. Last year, nearly 18,400 patients used the service, which is usually open seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The committee had some significant fundraising success last year. The Tim Horton’s Smile Cookie Campaign raised more than $18,000 to purchase medical equipment.
An AHS employee payroll 50/50 raffle chose the urgent care centre as one of its donation recipients and passed on nearly $21,700 for equipment.