Hot button topics like the upcoming Housing Symposium, Red Dress Day, and Residents in Recovery’s childcare facility centred on the discussion table as social service partners held their monthly meeting.
The Hub of Healing is a network of social service groups meeting every second Tuesday at the Grace United Church in Lloydminster.
The network is building connections between groups like The Native Friendship Centre, Residents in Recovery, the Lloydminster Library, the Hope Street Team, Midwest Family Connections, the Men’s Shelter and many others.
Facilitator Lana Lane shares some of the outcomes from this month’s meeting, including the education aspect, as the Men’s Shelter and community partners prepare for the Housing Symposium on May 7.
“So where are we right now with housing in Lloydminster? How did we get here? And, what is the future? So, that day (May 7) is to provide hope for folks to come ask questions and be a part of the solution to homelessness in Lloydminster,” says Lane as she reflects on the input of Kagan Kneen, executive director of the Men’s Shelter.
Another aspect of the April 8 meeting was the discussion about the sexual health clinic with SHA and “the motivation to get a clinic in Lloydminster where they can look after the needs of folks who need support because of the sexual diseases that they have,” says Lane.
There is no clinic in Lloydminster for those patients to get the resources they need to answer the questions that they have, notes Lane.
The Lloydminster Native Friendship Centre updated on preparations for the Red Dress Day observance that they are hosting on May 5.
“That will be to honour those women who have lost their lives. They will have lots of events leading up to that day and educational pieces about that.”
For the Lloydminster Public Library which is making its space in the LloydMall available for numerous activities, its literally keep up with their social media posts.
“That’s a hub of activity. So, if you want anything to do – head to the library,” says Lane.
Councillor Michele Charles Gustafson took time off from City Council duties and read to the kids at the library and also introduced a new exhibit of two Axolotls which are amphibian salamanders on loan to the library this month. The library can boast of activities for every age group.
Residents in Recovery gave an update that included the ongoing efforts to get identification for people who don’t have ID. That service is on Wednesdays at its office. Also, work is progressing on its childcare facility, with a possible June date for completion.
Midwest Family Connections also shared at the meeting about their activities which can be viewed via social media and its calendar on the website.
“For young families – young mothers, there is a lot of support and programs. They have a very important guest coming on May 27 to share about trauma related issues on how families can get support,” says Lane, noting that another occasion coming up is Maternal Mental Health on May 8 at the Prairie North Plaza to support mothers.
“This is what the Hub of Healing is about. There are so many things going on in our community, and we are all doing these amazing things. The Hub is a way of networking community and these agencies and finding out what everybody is doing,” concludes Lane.
The network then looks for ways to support each other in the combined efforts to build community.
While the Hub of Healing is the network of the local social service agencies, there is another group simply called the Hub, which is a meeting of the RCMP and both school divisions to discuss assistance for children and families facing major issues that could involve the RCMP.
The Hub of Healing started in the spring of 2021 and currently has over 20 Lloydminster groups connecting. The next meeting is planned for May 13 (2nd Tuesday of every month).
