After 27 years in Jasper, HIV West Yellowhead has moved its office to Hinton.
The final boxes of office supplies, condoms, books, pamphlets and Safe is Sexy posters were moved out of the organization鈥檚 Connaught Drive office Jan. 7.
Lori Phillips, HIV West Yellowhead鈥檚 new executive director, said it鈥檚 been in the organization鈥檚 strategic plan for a number of years to relocate to a more central location in the region, but it didn鈥檛 make sense to make that move until now鈥攚ith all of the organization鈥檚 current employees living outside of Jasper.
Phillips, who took over the executive director role in September, is herself from Hinton and was commuting to work.
鈥淚f we still had Jasper staff we would have still kept the office,鈥� she said, but that鈥檚 no longer necessary.
HIV West Yellowhead has a long history in Jasper. It was formed in the community in 1988, at that time under the name AIDS: A Positive Coordinated Community Response Society of Jasper. In 2003, the harm reduction agency changed its name to HIV West Yellowhead, as it expanded its services to include communities throughout the region, including Whitecourt, Edson and Hinton.
鈥淲e will never forget that Jasper was where this organization started,鈥� said Phillips. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 ever forget your roots. Jasper has supported us through everything and I鈥檓 certainly not turning my back on Jasper.鈥�
The organization鈥檚 new office will be located in the Hinton Valley District, but Phillips said she will still be coming to Jasper to attend meetings with Community Outreach Services and to host annual fundraisers and awareness campaigns.
鈥淚鈥檒l still keep my finger on the pulse of Jasper and we鈥檒l still hire a summer student to do the Safe is Sexy campaign this year.鈥�
Sex education will also still be offered to Jasper鈥檚 schools and will be facilitated upon request, as it was in the past.
鈥淚f people need anything they just need to pick up the phone and I鈥檒l find a way to get it to them. There won鈥檛 be an interruption of services. It will be hopefully very seamless,鈥� said Phillips, noting that, at this time, most of the organization鈥檚 clients are based out of Edson.
HIV West Yellowhead has three full time employees, as well as Phillips there is an prevention and education coordinator who lives in Hinton and an outreach worker out of Edson.
Phillips thanked Jasper for all of its support over the years, especially the community鈥檚 many volunteers who have donated their time to the organization. She said her hope is those people will stay connected with HIV West Yellowhead and continue to participate in events and awareness campaigns.
The harm prevention organization visits schools, sets up displays at orientation nights, distributes condoms at the bar and plasters the town with fun educational posters that encourage responsible sexual behaviour.
It also hosts guest speakers, organizes film nights, provides referrals to sexual health nurses and offers a safe space for people to pick up condoms, dental dams, lube and literature on sexual health.
The new HIV West Yellowhead office in Hinton can be found at 152 Athabasca Avenue. The new phone number is 780-740-0066.
Nicole Veerman
[email protected]
