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Gabriola health centre ready for official opening

Gabriola health centre official opening ceremony this Sunday.

It took the community banding together to create the Gabriola Community Health Centre.

Jill Adamson, president of the Gabriola Health Care Foundation, said the project wouldn’t be possible without the community becoming so involved.

She’s looking forward to thanking everyone who helped this Sunday (Aug. 5) during the official opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony. Everyone involved in the process, whether volunteering or donating, is invited to attend.

“Just come and have some fun and pat yourself on the back,” Adamson said.

The ceremony is 1-3 p.m. at the health centre, located at 695 Church St. on Gabriola Island.

The vision to create the centre began in 2006 and it started operating this year on June 11.

“It really is a job well done,” said Adamson. “I’m really looking forward to being able to thank everyone in person. It will be the icing on the cake for me. Everyone worked so hard, particularly the volunteers on the build.”

The RCMP will also be in attendance wearing their red serge.

Everyone is invited to bring a pair of scissors to help cut the ribbon and take a piece home as a memento.

The ribbon consists of 30 centimetre sections with the message “Gabriola Community Health Centre 2012, a big thank you to all our donors and volunteers”. Adamson said there is enough ribbon for about 1,000 people to have a piece.

The clinic has two-full time doctors and is working on attracting a third, as there are about 100 people waiting for a physician. It also features an emergency room and a medical emergency helicopter pad.

The foundation raised more than $1.34 million, plus in-kind donations, for the centre. The Vancouver Island Health Authority contributed a $100,000 grant.

reporter3@nanaimobulletin.com