Community forums offered for parents, teens
In response to a quest for more information on how to help kids navigate growing up after the death of a high school senior, a number of organizations have planned gatherings for the public and students.
The Crisis Hotline, which staffs a 24-hour phone line with trained volunteers to help callers by providing support and resources, will host a second “Community Conversation” Thursday, Jan. 23, at 6 p.m. at Zaney’s coffeehouse in Hailey. For more information, call 788-0735.
On Jan. 29, there will be a student assembly helmed by the Blaine County Community Drug Coalition called “i2i” at the Community Campus gym about breaking down walls and connecting with peers and adults. These interactive assemblies are targeting freshman at Wood River and Silver Creek high schools. Email Stephanie at smiller@blainecountyadc.org.
There will be a similar assembly on Jan. 30, for the community.
The coalition will host a “Young People’s Town Hall” on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 6:30 p.m. On Thursday, Feb. 20, at 6:30 p.m., there will be a “Community Town Hall,” to discuss a social-hosting ordinance policy for the county. Both will be held at the Community Campus in Hailey.
Then, on March 19, “Parenting Teens,” a presentation by Wood River High School’s Julie Carney, St. Luke’s Community Health’s Erin Buell, the Advocates’ Daryl Harris and Idaho Social Emotional Learning Center’s Jamie Rivetts will be held at the St. Luke’s Hailey Clinic at 6:30 p.m.
Hunger Coalition expands reach to Ketchum
The Hunger Coalition is now offering client support appointments at the YMCA in Ketchum on Thursday afternoons.
“This new option is making life a bit easier for community members, saving them valuable time and gas money,” said Sharon Dohse, client resource and education manager for The Hunger Coalition. “It’s also really helpful that the appointments are held on the same day as our Ketchum food distribution, located right across the street at the Presbyterian Church of the Big Wood.”
Serving community members out of the YMCA provides other important benefits. For example, the YMCA said, one Ketchum client struggles with health issues and has recently begun taking classes at the Y. He is feeling much better physically while also enjoying the convenience of appointments closer to where he lives and works.
“Our partnership with the YMCA is helping us expand our outreach and make our services more accessible for north valley residents and workers. We are so appreciative of this collaboration,” said Jeanne Liston, executive director of The Hunger Coalition.
Nearly one in six Blaine County residents worry about where they will find their next meal, yet only 76 percent of those residents are currently connected with The Hunger Coalition’s services. The coalition offers a weekly mobile food bank in three locations across the valley, infant formula and pet food distribution, and snack packs and a summer meal program for young people.
Contact them at 788-0121 to learn more.
St. Luke’s department earns certification
The St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Imaging Department has received ACR (American College of Radiology) certification for the CT (Computerized Tomography) program.
St. Luke’s Wood River added the 64-slice CT scanner in July 2013. The scanner replaced the 16-slice CT scanner the hospital purchased in 2004.
“After eight years of being certified by the ACR, we once again met their high standards and continue to provide the highest quality of care to our community.” Medical Imaging Manager Kandis Pederson-Romero said in a press release. “St. Luke’s Wood River is the only facility of its size in Idaho to receive accreditation from the American College of Radiology.
Sun Valley Air Service Board meeting set
The cities of Ketchum, Hailey and Sun Valley have announced that the first meeting for the new Sun Valley Air Service Board will take place Thursday, Jan. 23, at Hailey City Hall from 2-4 p.m.
The board will discuss air service negotiations and air service marketing. In addition, there will be a review of the purpose of the board, an election of officers, review of local-option-tax revenue projections and the budget.
According to a city of Ketchum news release, “the Sun Valley Air Service Board was created through a Joint Powers Agreement adopted by the cities of Hailey, Ketchum and Sun Valley, along with Blaine County in 2012 and 2013 in preparation for the successful voter passage of a 1 percent increase in local option tax in the three cities.”
The board is not expecting to have any employees, as staffing will be fulfilled through the cities and is expected to meet four or five times this year. Board members include Hailey Mayor Fritz Haemmerle, Sun Valley Mayor Dewayne Briscoe, Ketchum Mayor Nina Jonas and County Commissioner Larry Schoen.
