Gabriola Health & Wellbeing Collaborative

10/09/2025

Are you looking for a way to have an impact on community health?

Consider joining the Gabriola Health Care Foundation Board of Directors

The Foundation (GHCF) plays a vital role in ensuring that our community has access to high-quality primary health care. We own and operate the Gabriola Community Health Centre — a facility that has become the cornerstone of local health services — and we are committed to supporting innovation and transformation in health care delivery across British Columbia.

We are currently seeking three new members to join our Board of Directors. This is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the health and wellbeing of our community.

We are looking for people who bring experience and skills in areas such as:
- Facilities management (to help us maintain and steward the Health Centre)
- Primary health care and health system transformation in BC
- Governance and strategic planning
- Communications
- Recruitment and retention of health professionals
- Fundraising and community engagement

Our biggest needs right now are expertise in facilities management, communications, and fundraising/community engagement. Each Board member also contributes by serving on one of our working committees: Finance, Communications, Board Development, Community Well-Being, and Physician Recruitment and Retention.

If you want to contribute to the evolving landscape of primary health care in BC and help shape the future of health care on Gabriola, we’d love to hear from you.

To learn more please contact Dyan Dunsmoor-Farley at ddunsmoorfarley@gmail.com or to apply please see the application on our website ghcf.ca/news/.

Together, we can ensure a strong, sustainable foundation for health care on Gabriola.

09/12/2025

On August 31st, a group of gabriola community members affected by the overdose crisis hosted a vigil to reflect on those whose lives have been lost to overdose and those who are grieving. The event was attended by almost 50 Gabriolans who shared stories of loss and resilience and enjoyed food and music together.

As one attendee remarked, “This was a deeply moving experience that opened my eyes to the corrosive effect of stigma and the power of compassion. The world needs more compassion.”

💜 Thank you to PHC Gabriola - People for a Healthy Community for their generous support for this event.

07/22/2025

🌟 NEWS RELEASE 🌟 Collaborative Secures Funding to Address Poison Drugs on Gabriola

We've secured a $10,000 Community Action Team (CAT) Top-Up Grant to support our ongoing efforts to address the impact on Gabriola.

This funding, provided through the Community Action Initiative (CAI), will support us to:
✔️ enhance public understanding
✔️ build community capacity
✔️ improve local response to the crisis

🗞 Find more details in this article in the Gabriola Sounder: https://soundernews.com/gabriola-health-and-wellbeing-collaborative-secures-funding-to-address-poisoned-drug-crisis/

👉 Learn more on our new page: https://ghwcollaborative.ca/poison-drug-action-table

Scroll for News Release Scroll for News Release Did you know that over 500 Gabriolans have been trained on how to administer Naloxone? Trainings were attended by neighbours from all over the island from all age groups. What is Naloxone? One of our key initiatives, the Poison Drug Action Table, is a....

07/22/2025

🌟 NEWS RELEASE 🌟 Collaborative Secures Funding to Address Crisis on Gabriola

We've secured a $10,000 Community Action Team (CAT) Top-Up Grant to support our ongoing efforts to address the impact on Gabriola.

This funding, provided through the Community Action Initiative (CAI), will support us to:
✔️ enhance public understanding
✔️ build community capacity
✔️ improve local response to the crisis

🗞 Find more details in this article in the Gabriola Sounder: https://soundernews.com/gabriola-health-and-wellbeing-collaborative-secures-funding-to-address-poisoned-drug-crisis/

👉 Learn more on our new page: https://ghwcollaborative.ca/poison-drug-action-table

Scroll for News Release Scroll for News Release Did you know that over 500 Gabriolans have been trained on how to administer Naloxone? Trainings were attended by neighbours from all over the island from all age groups. What is Naloxone? One of our key initiatives, the Poison Drug Action Table, is a....

07/22/2025

🌟 NEWS RELEASE 🌟 Collaborative Secures Funding to Address Poisoned Drug Crisis on Gabriola

We've secured a $10,000 Community Action Team (CAT) Top-Up Grant to support our ongoing efforts to address the impact of poisoned drugs on Gabriola.

This funding, provided through the Community Action Initiative (CAI), will support us to:
✔️ enhance public understanding
✔️ build community capacity
✔️ improve local response to the crisis

🗞 Find more details in this article in the Gabriola Sounder: https://soundernews.com/gabriola-health-and-wellbeing-collaborative-secures-funding-to-address-poisoned-drug-crisis/

👉 Learn more on our new Poison Drug Action Table page: https://ghwcollaborative.ca/poison-drug-action-table

07/22/2025

🌟 NEWS RELEASE 🌟 Collaborative Secures Funding to Address Poisoned Drug Crisis on Gabriola

We've secured a $10,000 Community Action Team (CAT) Top-Up Grant to support our ongoing efforts to address the impact of poisoned drugs on Gabriola.

This funding, provided through the Community Action Initiative (CAI), will support us to:
✔️ enhance public understanding
✔️ build community capacity
✔️ improve local response to the crisis

🗞 Find more details in this article in the Gabriola Sounder: https://soundernews.com/gabriola-health-and-wellbeing-collaborative-secures-funding-to-address-poisoned-drug-crisis/

👉 Learn more on our new Poison Drug Action Table page: https://ghwcollaborative.ca/poison-drug-action-table

Scroll for News Release Scroll for News Release Did you know that over 500 Gabriolans have been trained on how to administer Naloxone? Trainings were attended by neighbours from all over the island from all age groups. What is Naloxone? One of our key initiatives, the Poison Drug Action Table, is a....

07/14/2025

🗞️ On July 2nd, the Sounder published another article in our ongoing series discussing the effects of the poisoned drug crisis on our local community.

Look out for biweekly articles printed throughout the summer and find the first article online...
1️⃣ https://soundernews.com/poisoned-drugs-are-on-gabriola-can-a-compassionate-community-help-address-the-crisis/

[Note: we've been having issues with our Facebook account and intended to post this notice in tandem with print distribution! Thank you for your patience.]

07/05/2025

🌈 Recent Activity Update! Strategic Priority Review

With funding from a Community Wellness Grant from Island Health, we've been able to revisit strategic priorities developed in 2022-2023.

In March, we circulated a survey to members of our Collaborative.

And, in May (pictured), we met to review the results and begin planning to address identified priorities. A second follow-up session is in the works!

👉 Learn more and find the survey report here: https://ghwcollaborative.ca/what-we-do

07/04/2025

🗞️ Check out this week's Sounder for the next article in our ongoing series discussing the effects of the poisoned drug crisis on our local community. Look out for biweekly articles printed throughout the summer.

Find the first article in the series here: https://soundernews.com/poisoned-drugs-are-on-gabriola-can-a-compassionate-community-help-address-the-crisis/