Hornby Island Community Archives
R.G. 5
Acc. Nos.: 2016-06-22/35; 2019-02-15/64
Finding aid created by Hannah Wiseman
Last updated: February 2019
Title: Hornby & Denman Community Health Care Society Collection
Level of description: collection
General material designation: textual records and graphic materials
Extent: 4 cm
Creator(s): Hornby & Denman Community Health Care Society (1978-present)
Dates of creation: 1973-1996, 2010
Administrative history:
The Hornby & Denman Community Health Care Society (then the Hornby Island Home Support Society) was formed in 1979 by a small group of retired, volunteer nurses with the prime purpose to provide nursing care and assistance to those residents of the community who, for health reasons, were unable to do the things necessary to remain in their own homes. The society aimed to meet the needs of these residents and therefore provide an alternative to hospitalization or residence in a care facility.
Prior to becoming an official society, in 1978 Penny Kelly, Eleanor Ward, Lorna McPherson, and Rosemary Nixon put in more than 1000 hours of volunteer nursing. When the Long Term Care program was launched in British Columbia in the autumn of that year, the women, along with Ruth Biley, a nurse who had recently joined the group, enlisted the help of local organizations and committees, such as the Health Clinic Committee, Hornby Island Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association, and Hornby Island New Horizons Society, to form a committee and to prepare a brief to the provincial health minister, as well as a constitution, policy, and budget for the society.
Services began in December of 1978 and, when in January 1979 the society was allotted funds from the provincial government, the society became a functioning agency sponsored by New Horizons. The society’s volunteer nurses provided nursing and homemaking services for local Hornby clients as well as trained a number of island residents on homemaking services. The society used the New Horizons Centre for committee meetings and training sessions.
In May 1979 the society extended its homemaking services to include Denman Island. In June 1979 the society registered as a non-profit society and charity. By the end of 1979 the society was caring for 20 clients and was made up of 50 members and 11 trained residents. A volunteer-run service providing clients with drives to Courtenay, appointments and/or shopping was added to the society’s services that year. The first annual general meeting was held in May 1980. In 1985 the Hornby Island Home Support Society changed its name to the Hornby & Denman Home Support Society.
Today the society, now called the Hornby & Denman Community Health Care Society (HDCHCS), offers in addition to home support services, home assist services, youth outreach and family counselling services, a mental health program, a community education program, a hospice program, food security programs, a resource library and a medical equipment loaning service. HDCHCS owns and maintains a Centre on Hornby (1965 Sollans Road) and, in association with the Vancouver Island Health Authority, also manages the Doris Savoie Medical Clinic (also known as the Hornby Island Health Clinic), which opened, under different management, in 1974.
Scope and content: The records pertain to the society’s formation, finances, administration, and activities, as well as the Hornby Island Health Clinic. The collection contains textual records, proposals, reports, writings, correspondence, financial documents, photographs, and newspaper clippings.
Source of supplied title: Title is based on the creator of the collection.
Immediate source of acquisition: The collection contains several previously accessioned files, which were donated by Hilary Brown (985.78), Helen Onorah (Gerow) (991.35.1), and collected by the archivist/committee members (985.151, 985.155, 992.48, 992.65, 992.168, 993.28) in 1985, 1991, and 1992. In 2017 Mary and Elaine Savoie donated Doris Savoie’s records, those pertaining specifically to HDCHCS are contained in accural 2019-02-15/64. All other original accession date(s) and donor(s) are unknown as Hornby Island Community Archives acquired the records several years prior to their being accessioned in 2016-2017.
Arrangement: The original filing scheme of the records was reconstructed during archival arrangement on the basis of file markings on the documents in order to retain as much of the original order as possible. However, some rearrangement of the records may have occurred between donation and accessioning as the records were stored for a number of years and then transferred to the archives building before being accessioned and processed in 2016-2017.
Language of materials: English
Record no.: R.G. 5
Repository: Hornby Island Community Archives
Finding aids: Finding aid available with file level control.
Related groups of records: Other records relating to the Hornby & Denman Community Health Care Society can be found in the Hornby Island Educational Society Collection R.G. 11 and the Hornby Island Elder Housing Society Collection R.G 6
Accruals: Further accruals are expected.
File Inventory
Box 1
1-1 Correspondence and proposal, 1978
Request to New Horizons Society for sponsorship of newly formed activation committee seeking to establish a Home Support Society, proposal for the establishment of a Home Support Program
1-2 Establishment of the Hornby Island Home Support Society, 1979
Re: Brief outlining Society’s mandate and requesting inclusion of nursing services in the Home Support Program, registration of society
1-3 Notices, Reports and Correspondence, 1980-1981, 1985
Re: Notices of Annual General Meeting, Presidents Report, a brief history by Hilary Brown, name change to Hornby and Denman Home Support Society
1-4 Notices ephemera, 1986, 1991-1995
Re: description of Society’s goals and history, notice of AGM, newspaper clippings about new building and mental health worker, invitation to official opening, winter programs and poster for healh fair
1-5 Lease agreement, 2010
Re: HDCHCS leasing land and building site to Vancouver Island Health Authority for Hornby Island Medical Clinic
1-6 Ephemera, n.d
Re: Board member card, pamphlet
Accural 2019-02-15/64
1-7 Establishment of Hornby Island Home Support Society: Proposals, Guidelines, Notes and Reports, c.1979
Re: proposal for the establishment of a Home Support Program, constitution, registration of Society, Guidelines to Homemakers, Doris Savoie’s handwritten notes on operation and procedures of Society, Finance Committee Report and miscellaneous
1-8 Board-Supervisor Workshop for Homemaker Agencies, 1979
Re: Report by Doris Savoie of the workshop, Doris’ notes from the workshop and miscellaneous
1-9 Minutes, Financial documents and Correspondence, 1980-1981, 1984-1990
Re: Board meeting minutes, amended constitutions, Treasurers Report, Long Term Care Programme, AGM and Doris Savoie’s handwritten notes
1-10 Hornby and Denman Home Support Society Manual, 1985-1986
Re: Part 1- The Society Manual, Part 2 – The Homemaker’s-Handyperson’s Manual. Note – removed from blue duotang for preservation purposes
1-11 Reports, Minutes, Financial Documents, Notices, Notes, 1990-1992, 1995-1997, 2000, 2002-2003
Re: AGM, job description, meeting minutes, financial statements, name change to Hornby and Denman Community Health Care Society, home support program summary, and miscellaneous notes