If homeless people won’t go to health clinics, then health clinics will simply have to go to them, said Dawn-to-Dawn volunteers this week.

Next week, their Care-A-Van will be ready to hit the road, offering a front-line health service for homeless people in the Comox Valley.

“The idea is that the mobile clinic will go out to locations where people tend to congregate,” said Larry Geoghegan, chair of Dawn-to-Dawn Action on Homelessness Society about the nearly converted RV.

It’s a project that’s been over a year in the making, with the local action on homelessness committee raising the idea to Sunwest owner Barry Willis. When the right motorhome came into their lot last October, the work began — almost completely gutting the interior to make a reception area and examination/treatment room in the back.

“It looks spectacular,” said Geoghegan, visiting the mobile unit last week.

The Sunwest staff gave their time to the project, as did some of their outside contractors, who volunteered work like the re-upholstering and flooring.

All of the interior items have been donated, said Geoghegan, and as soon as it’s ready to roll, the treatment staff will also be volunteers.

What’s being created, is something that will connect disassociated people with the services available to them, said Geoghegan.

“We feel that the mobile health-care unit will be kind of a bridge between them and the system,” he said. “We believe this model could be used in other locations.”

It’s a different direction for the Dawn-to-Dawn group, which started by focusing on retaining rental properties and getting homeless people into them. This is another way of helping, said Geoghegan — and a good way for them to connect with the people living outdoors.

The mobile Care-A-Van unit is the first of its kind in B.C., though the idea came from Ontario. It’s an all-Comox Valley product, too — with all the help and donations for it coming from local people.

“We believe this will make a difference in this area … so that we can prevent these issues before they become too serious.”

They thanked all those who contributed to the project, as well as the 10 nurses and two doctors who will volunteer for it. The Care-A-Van will be out three-times a week, and a schedule will be distributed when it’s on the road.

For more information about Dawn-to-Dawn and its fundraising dance, visit www.dawntodawn.org.

reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com

http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_north/comoxvalleyrecord/news/42987977.html