The Renfrew County and District Health Unit hopes everyone in our community can make some time to celebrate an important milestone for public health across the Ottawa Valley.
The RCDHU has invited former staff and board members, as well as former public health partners, to celebrate their 60th anniversary with a special event happening at noon on Thursday, August 8th, at the Amphitheatre inside Waterfront Park at the Pembroke Marina.
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jason Morgenstern says the day will honour the long journey and many changes that the health unit has had to adapt to since its founding in 1964, when Dr. R. V. Peters and a team of thirteen health professionals got their start thanks to a government grant to develop health care services in rural areas.
Board of Health Chair Joanne King says the day will feature a display of various artifacts the health unit has unearthed during their research into its history, as well as guest speakers like Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke M.P.P. John Yakabuski and refreshments.
Getting a chance to reflect on the past has been an eye-opening experience for Dr. Morgenstern, who joined the RCDHU just last year, as well as a reminder that many efforts that began during that 60-year span are ongoing.
One of the things he’s proud of is the health unit’s historically effectiveness in immunizing the community against a number of once-deadly diseases.
Dr. Morgenstern says the effort continued to shine during the COVID-19 pandemic, where they and the community worked together to respond to outbreaks and post-high immunization rates compared to the rest of the province.
While this Thursday’s event is mainly meant for former staff and board members, King is hoping that the people from across the Ottawa Valley can find time to celebrate the ongoing growth of their services.
Former staff are encouraged to RSVP ahead of the 60th anniversary celebration by emailing the Health Unit.
(written by Kasey Egan)