September Meeting Minutes

Date: September 12, 2023

Start Time: 10:05 am

Stop Time: 10:40 am

Attendance:

• Sierra Winter Smith

• Ronni Spaulding

• Amanda Simpson

• Mary Gunderson

• Melitta White

• Mara McKown

• Ashley Minaei

• Brenda Shelden

• Denise Hendrickson

• Erin Aklestad

• Jennifer Lockhard

• Jessie Downes

• Sarah Blackburn Kehoe

• Miriam Valentine

• Lisa Boyles

Minutes:

Sierra opens the meeting by introducing our newest members and guests of the Northern Valley Health Coalition. She reminds the attendees that the Northern Valley Health Coalition members resources is where we find future meeting agendas and communicate between meetings, that the blog is available on the website for people to share their community events and/or information on a topic the public should be informed about, and shares that everyone should have the meeting invite on their calendars for the second Tuesday of each month at 10:00 AM.

Sierra highlights reminders for the following:

• October Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a door decorating contest that you can participate in for a prize. Erin Aklested and Sierra Smith will be having a meeting tomorrow to discuss more details if you are interested in participating. Erin adds that Alaska Specific Mountain Pacific has Breast Cancer awareness coffee sleeves that raise awareness. https://www.nvhealthco.org/contact-8

• Career Development Program – The team is working to create mock interviews and ways that can help students and community members join a non-profit or offer community assistance to non-profits. Anyone who has time to review resumes and do mock interviews can volunteer as a sub-committee by emailing ssmith@sunshineclinic.org.

• Health Shelf – If anyone has any information to share, they can email ssmith@sunshineclinic.org || We aim to update these shelves monthly.

Sierra asks for feedback on how to organize resources on the Northern Valley website. General feedback includes by community and by community sector (i.e. parents, seniors, transportation, etc.).

Sarah Kehoe shares that she is looking for AlAnon, which is a group for children and families who are dealing with family members who are addicted to alcohol. She asks for the team to help with any ideas or options as to where they can have AlAnon available for northern families.

Sierra continues with upcoming engagement opportunities:

• Trunk or treat in all our communities, Sierra can provide more details when available.

• Holiday Dinners are available in the community.

• The Alaska Health Fair will be at the Upper Susitna Community Center on November 18th, 2023.

Mary Gunderson started having a meeting with Duronda and Tamara for career day at the school. Sierra will follow up with Mary to coordinate these discussions.

Ashley Minaei talks about having their public health contacts that could join a career day and other events in the Northern Valley. She will share contact information with Sierra when available.

Amy Gorn with the Mat Su Health Foundation states they are starting to have a community engagement and they are going to have the meeting at the Sheep Creek Lodge, you can become a member for $5. These meetings are in the fall. Information will be shared with Sierra following the meeting.

Denise was wondering if the libraries in the Northern Valley End-Of-Life documents they have so can have access to just review them for themselves. Denise could have a small comfortable class in the northern valley translating the End-Of-Life documents and what they mean. Sierra will follow up to coordinate.

ASSIGNMENTS:

• October Breast Cancer Awareness Months || If anyone wants to join in on the conversation on Wednesday, September 13th, at 2:00 PM please notify Sierra or Erin so we can forward the invite.

• Sierra Winter to follow up with Mary Gunderson and Duronda to coordinate/plan a career day at Su-Valley.

• Amy Gorn to share information about their upcoming Community Engagement event.

• Ashley Minaei to reach out to find out if a new public health nurse has been hired and report back.

• Sierra Winter to follow up with Denise to coordinate End-Of-Life resources in our communities.

• EVERYONE considers if they have the capacity and time to take on reviewing resumes and doing mock interviews to help connect people with non-profits and other volunteer-based groups. If we don't feel like we have time to do this now we can table the discussions and continue to help each other on existing projects.

Next Meeting Planning:

Date: October 10th, 2023

Time: 10:00 AM

Location: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87366722568?pwd=amc1OTA3NnhZbGZSSzRXbXdPQWoyZz09&from=addon

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