Unexpected delivery, Hospice AGM, SCCDSB camp, blood donor clinic

Morning Coffee – By Aaron Hall

Weather forecast for Monday, July 17, 2017

Today – Clearing this morning. High 27. Humidex 32. UV index 9 or very high.

Tonight – Clear. Low 14.

Photo of the day

On June 11, 2017, members of the Sarnia Police Service General Patrol were dispatched to what was believed to be a baby not breathing as part of a tiered response with Lambton EMS and the Sarnia Fire Department.

Officers arrived on scene to find that the child was literally just born at home and that the infant was still attached to the umbilical cord. Officers noted that the baby was grey in colour, not breathing, and unresponsive. The mother was in shock from the delivery of the immediate and unexpected birth of her child. The officer that was assisting the mother began CPR on the infant in an attempt to facilitate breathing. As the officer continued his CPR the infant began to periodically respond with gasps of breath and movement. Within a short period of time paramedics arrived on scene to continue care of the infant with assistance from Sarnia Fire.

While this was going on two of the other officers that attended were reassuring the father and another child that was present as they were all in shock and concerned with everything that was going on.

EMS was able to transport the prematurely born child to hospital where it recovered and remained for several weeks to receive the care it needed.

On July 9, 2017, the three officers along with the attending paramedic from that evening were welcome back for a small reunion with baby Brodie-Lynn who was now healthy and doing well. Also present was mom, dad, and her big brother and sister.

911 workers responded to thousands of calls a year and a call of this nature is fairly rare so the reward of reuniting with the child and family was very appreciated by officers, the paramedic, and the family.

Baby Brodie-Lynn was made an Honorary Constable with the Sarnia Police Service for being a real trooper and fighting a good fight.

The Sarnia Police Service would like to thank the officers, paramedics, and fire fighters involved for their great team work and their quick response to an event that could have ended very tragically.

Shown displaying the new vision, mission, and values is new Board Chair Dave Macko (left) and past Board Chair Jennifer Wilson (right) (Submitted photo)

Hospice holds AGM

Chatham-Kent Hospice and Chatham-Kent Hospice Foundation recently held a joint Annual General Meeting for the 2016 2017 year. It was the first year of operations for both organizations and there was a lot to celebrate.

Chatham-Kent Hospice Foundation met their fundraising goal of $850,000 thanks to generous community support made up of memorial donations, third party fundraisers, general donations and revenue from the Hospice Foundation Benefit Gala.

“I am grateful to our many donors, volunteers, board members, staff and all who worked toward realizing a great first year for the Chatham-Kent Hospice Foundation,” John Lawrence, Hospice Foundation Board Chair.

Chatham-Kent Hospice were honoured to care for 211 residents and their families with an average length of stay of 14 days in their first year.

Supporting the clinical care team were 200 trained volunteers who gave over 13,000 hours in a variety of roles. The Hospice Board also embarked on a strategic planning process that reviewed and redefined the vision, values, and mission that will act as a roadmap for the next three years.

“Thank you to the families who entrusted the final care of their loved one to us. We will continue to provide exemplary, compassionate end-of-life care for families of Chatham-Kent.” Jennifer Wilson, Past Chair, Chatham-Kent Hospice Board.

To learn more about Hospice care and services and the difference your support is making in our community, the public is invited to a Community Impact Open House – Wednesday, July 19th from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Active Lifestyle Centre, 20 Merritt Ave, Chatham.

Blood donor clinic next week

A Blood Donor Clinic is being held in Wallaceburg next week. Here are the details:

– Thursday, July 27, 2017

– 2:30 pm – 7:30 pm

– UAW Local 251 Hall

– 88 Elm Drive South, Wallaceburg

For more information or to book an appointment please phone the Canadian Blood Services at 1-888-236-6283 or go to www.blood.ca.

Summer learning camp

The St. Clair Catholic Summer Learning Camp, now in its fourth year, continues to grow in Chatham and Sarnia and has now expanded to include Wallaceburg. The three week-long program, which began in 2014 with just three classrooms in Chatham, now includes nine classrooms among all three sites.

“Summer Learning Camp is a big hit with students and parents,” says Brenda Corchis, Coordinator – Elementary Curriculum. “It’s an opportunity for students to meet friends and learn new skills in order to reduce summer learning loss. The evidence also suggests that it helps to build confidence in our students.”

The program consists of 45 hours of literacy, math and robotics over three weeks, which is taught during the morning hours.

In the afternoon, educational excursions or special fun activities are planned.  In Chatham-Kent, students will visit the Gable Rees Pool in Blenheim, Parks Blueberries, the Chatham Gymnastics Centre, the Chatham-Kent Children’s Safety Village and the C.M. Wilson Conservation Area; in Sarnia, students will travel to the Moore Museum, Petrolia Pool, East Street Fire Station, Sarnia Public Library and Canatara Park; and in Wallaceburg, educational excursions are planned for Peers Wetlands, the Wallaceburg Museum, gymnastics, the Sydenham pool and the local branch of the Chatham-Kent Public Library.

“The educational excursions are used to help prompt students’ thinking and further their interest in learning,” says Mrs. Corchis.

“We also keep the children physically active through games, dance, swimming and gymnastics.”

This year, through an additional grant, robotics has been added to the camp learning schedule.

Secondary students from Ursuline College and St. Patrick’s support robotics instruction at each site using Dot and Dash and Lego Wedo.

Camp runs from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Monday to Friday from July 10 through July 28 at St. Matthew Catholic School in Sarnia; Georges P. Vanier Catholic School in Chatham; and St. Elizabeth Catholic School in Wallaceburg. Healthy snacks are provided to the students through funding from the Ontario Student Nutrition Programs of Sarnia Lambton and Chatham-Kent.

The program is funded through a grant from the Ontario Council of Directors of Education

For more information, click here.

World news

If you have a suggestion, story idea, column idea, or if you want to say hello… drop me an e-mail at aaron@sydenhamcurrent.ca.

- Advertisment -