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AFOW donation provides training to local nurses

From communications towers on local mountaintops to training days for nurses in emergency medicine, the American Friends of Whistler is making its mark in the community.
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training day Nurses at the Whistler Health Care Centre take part in a training day made possible by a grant from the American Friends of Whistler. Photo submitted

From communications towers on local mountaintops to training days for nurses in emergency medicine, the American Friends of Whistler is making its mark in the community.

The charitable organization for Americans who want to give back to the community has donated more than $1 million in grants since it was formed more than a decade ago.

In addition to a $35,000 cheque for Whistler Search and Rescue that was presented at the annual fundraising dinner last month nursing staff at the Whistler Health Care Centre had a chance to benefit from a $15,000 grant from the AFOW.

Fourteen nurses took part in a modified CARE Course — an education package on rural emergency medicine in October.

"It was extraordinary to include so many of the staff," said clinical services coordinator Janet Hamer. "The robust turnout simply indicated our passion for ongoing education."

The one-day course was tailored for the nursing staff, put on by two doctors from Pemberton — Jel Coward and Rebecca Lindley.

"The day was fun, and there was a lot of learning and refreshing of skills and information that happened," added Hamer. "We worked on communication skills within our team, and came away with a new appreciation of the talents of our team members."

The AFOW grant also enabled several nurses to attend the St. Paul's Emergency Rural Medicine Conference in September in Whistler.

-Alison Taylor