Providence Health Care was honoured to take part in a Health Fair and Gathering at Oppenheimer Park in late September, hosted by the DUDES Club in support of Indigenous residents living in the Downtown Eastside.
It was the first public event at Oppenheimer Park since the COVID-19 pandemic and the DUDES Club did an amazing job welcoming the community together (following all COVID-19 protocols) to hear words from the Elders, receive a delicious homemade meal of bannock and stew and share dozens of health care services.
Special thanks to PHC’s Indigenous Wellness and Reconciliation (IWR) team, who organized PHC’s involvement in the event. Also a big thanks to Mission’s Providence in the Park, who also attended due to the strong partnership with the DUDES Club.
PHC contributed:
• a COVID-19 clinic run by PHC’s pandemic response team;
• hundreds of rain jackets handed out by PHC’s Indigenous Liaison team;
• vision exams and eyewear donated by Clearly;
• a hair stylist cutting hair;
• 250 bagged lunches donated by Sodexo Canada, 200 care bags donated by Shoppers Drug Mart‘s Kingsgate Mall and Davie/Thurlow locations as well as PHC staff, and 200 shopping bags from IKEA Canada;
• 215 pairs of new socks, 38 toques and 38 winter gloves donated by Parishioners from St. Joseph the Worker Parish;
• A small but mighty group of PHC staff volunteers.
“A big thank you to each and every hand that supported this event to lift us all up. From our friends and partners to our fellow DUDES. Our Elders who shared their good words, wisdom, and medicine. Your involvement yesterday brought out the community in a good way like it hasn’t seen in too long of a time. Oppenheimer was alive and bustling again with community.”
– DUDES Club Facebook page
To learn more about this event, please contact Clint Barton at cbarton@providencehealth.bc.ca or Brenna Latimer at blatimer@providencehealth.bc.ca.
