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For more information on this project, contact Cheryl Dunn, Environmental Health Director, or Julianne Renk, PACE-EH Coordinator, at the Indian River County Health Department.

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
May, 2006 PACE EH Report

To:              Daniel Parker, MSP, GAL
                    Assistant Division Director, Division of Environmental Health

From:          Julianne Price, Environmental Specialist

Through:     Cheryl L. Dunn, RS, Environmental Manager

Subject:     May 2006 Wabasso PACE Grant Update

PACE Progress Report for the Wabasso Environmental Assessment

“Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!” –Lewis Carroll.  This quote helps to sum up this months PACE efforts as it is there was a lot of work to do, but no major results to show as an outcome. Thankfully, PACE is not contingent upon the outcomes, but rather focuses on the process of identifying issues, developing action plans, and helping the community and stakeholders carry those plans through to fruition. We are still in the process of seeing the projects we started through to completion and it seems as if new problems and obstacles pop up and have to be dealt with in order to progress with projects.

An example of this would be the identified issue of lack of affordable housing in Wabasso. Because safety was also an identified issue, the action plan for the affordable housing issue incorporated tearing down abandoned homes which were harboring rodents and had associated drug dealers dealing and squatting in the unsafe structure. Once this was achieved, we formed Project Hope, which consisted of a private contractor and group of youths who were committed to building homes in Wabasso. This was a great plan, but due to lack of action on the contractor’s part, it has been modified to include a 24 hour house build and SHIP funding for other residents. Abandoning a plan and regrouping takes a lot of time and effort and means, essentially, re-vamping an entire action plan. It can and is being done successfully though and some would say on a grander scale that before.

On May 1st, I attended a community meeting that included updates on all existing projects. The idea of involving youth in the process of improving the community was brought up and well-received by all. The Wabasso 5 Year Plan meeting was held on May 15th and attendees continued to shape a vision for the future of the Wabasso community. The end of the month brought good news that our health assessment draft survey was approved by all involved DOH staff and “experts.” This survey will be specific to PACE results in the Wabasso community. It is anticipated to be administered this July. I also received word that I am taking under my wing a new intern that is interested in Public Health. She will help with many events regarding our PACE involvement in Wabasso this summer. “So many worlds, so much to do, So little done, such things to be.” –Alfred, Lord Tennyson
 

April, 2006

March, 2006

January/February, 2006

December, 2005

October, 2005

September, 2005

August, 2005

July, 2005

May, 2005

April, 2005

March, 2005

February, 2005

January, 2005

December, 2004

November, 2004

October, 2004

September, 2004

July and August, 2004

June, 2004

May, 2004

The following files are provided in the Adobe Acrobat pdf format. Files over 100 kb in size that may take longer to download and view, have their file size listed.

May 6, 2006 - County: West Wabasso Will Say Goodbye to 'Brown Water'

April 13, 2006 - West Wabasso's long road to county water about to end

February 18, 2006 - West Wabasso finds success in long quest for county water

January 23, 2006 - Gospel Fest to raise money for hurricane repairs in Wabasso

December, 2005 - In My Opinion: West Wabasso Assessment Project Update (From the Florida Journal of Environmental Health)

October 10, 2005 - West Wabasso residents rejoice over water project

October 7, 2005 - West Wabasso to get county water

September 20, 2005 - Indian River County replaces septic tanks for 10 families in west Wabasso

July 8, 2005 - Indian River health officials receive national award

June, 2005 - Spring 2005 PACE Progress Report for the Wabasso Environmental Assessment (380 kb) (From the Florida Journal of Environmental Health)

June 17, 2005 - World Changers group fixes homes in West Wabasso

June 15, 2005 - Impoverished area to get waterlines

June 12, 2005 - World Changers redo Wabasso

May 1, 2005 - Water System on its way to Wabasso

December 25, 2004 - Woman's work aids west Wabasso residents

October 18, 2004 - Storms stall Wabasso help

September, 2004 - PACE Progress Report for the Wabasso Environmental Assessment (620 kb) (From the Florida Journal of Environmental Health)

September 28, 2004 - Storms run Wabasso family out of own, borrowed homes

August 28, 2004 - Families get new homes

August 11, 2004 - Draft Brochure, Bringing Basic Needs to a Forgotten Community (1.4 meg file)

July 30, 2004 - Kindness rules in Wabasso (109 kb)

July 28, 2004 - Teens team up to build man's house

June 2, 2004 - Indian River seeks aid for water

May 26, 2004 - Groups enlist residents to help revive Wabasso

May 11, 2004 - Wabasso may have to wait a year for street lights to come on

May 9, 2004 - Town hall meeting to address Wabasso's needs