Community service organizations focus on the future

Jeff Green | Jul 07, 2011

Photo: Joan Cameron, chair of  SFCSC

Building projects and serving the elderly were central to the presentations at the annual general meetings of both Land O'Lakes Community Services (LOLCS) and Southern Frontenac Community Services (SFCSC) last week.

It was no coincidence that the meetings took place at about the same time. One of the major funders for both agencies, the Local Health Integration Network of South Eastern Ontario (LHINS), controls the funding for a basket of seniors' support programs from the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care that they both offer. The LHINS insists that all the agencies they fund hold their annual meetings in June each year.

Land O’Lakes Community Services – At the LOLCS meeting, which was held at the Northbrook Lions Hall on June 21, Board Chair Jane Muston took some extra time to thank the staff at the agency for all their hard work over the past year.

“There is always so much to do, and less money to work with, and it is our staff that go above and beyond to make sure everything gets done at the end of the day,” she said.

“Change is inevitable in the social services,” Muston added,

“and we must be ready for change at all times. Who knows, maybe there will be a change of government this fall. ”

A guest speaker had to cancel at the last minute, so North Frontenac Mayor Bud Clayton filled in, in his role as chair of the Pine Meadow Nursing Home Management Committee.

Clayton reported that a meeting has been scheduled for later in the week with provincial officials to discuss the budget for the Pine Meadow redevelopment project. “It seems we need to cut $1 million from the project,” Clayton said, “which sounds more serious than it is. We do have room to cut.”

One of the pieces of the project that seems to be the most expendable is the plan to build a public access dialysis clinic.

“Even though there are 11 patients in our immediate area who are travelling to Kingston every few days for dialysis, more people needing the service in the surrounding region`, and potentially a lot more when our population swells in the summer, Kingston General Hospital has shown no interest in providing a satellite clinic at Pine Meadow,” said Clayton. “So not building a dialysis clinic is a way to save money.”

Clayton said that any cuts to the project would be done in such a way that they could easily be added on later, if the funding can be found. He is optimistic that the project will be able to break ground later this year.

Strategic Plan and Grace Centre for SFSCS

Joan Cameron, the chair of the SFCSC, said that when she first heard about the agency entering into an agreement to purchase the 150-year-old Grace United Church in Sydenham and turn it into a permanent home, “My first instinct was to run as fast as I could in the opposite direction. That view was shared by our executive director. But now that it is happening I'm finding myself becoming obsessed with this project.”

The breakfast AGM, which was held on June 22, took place in the basement of the new Grace Centre, which is being converted into program space.

“This space will be the new home of our adult day programs, and will also be available for community events,” said SFCS Executive Director David Townsend.

The pews have been removed from the sanctuary of the church, opening a large, bright space that “is full of potential” according to Townsend. “For us to build a centre of this size and capacity from scratch would cost $2.5 million. This project, when it is all completed, will cost $350,000.”

To help with the necessary fundraising, a new staff position of fund developer has been created.

At the same time as the Grace Centre plan was being developed, Southern Frontenac Community Services has been revamping its service offerings.

“Instead of chasing money and providing services based on what as can find funding for, we are dedicated to providing a more focussed range of services well,” said David Townsend.

This means the agency will be focussing mainly on providing services for seniors, and developing partnerships to serve other segments of the population.