SLV AHEC honors volunteers at 40th anniversary

ALAMOSA — The Board of Directors of the San Luis Valley Area Health Education Center (SLV AHEC) organized a 40th Anniversary celebration on September 27, which honored healthcare preceptors, present and past staff, and various other volunteers.

Founded in 1978, the SLV AHEC was responsible over the years for the creation of numerous important organizations, including the formation of Tu Casa and the Hospice del Valle.  The original SLV AHEC Executive Director Al Kelly, and his wife Carmen, traveled from Taos to attend the celebration. Kelly, who served the organization for 30 years, spoke about his memories of the first 30 years of the organization, including sharing stories of when he hired nurse Charlotte Ledonne in 1980, who still serves the region in this capacity at the SLV AHEC organizing health education programs for community members and healthcare professionals.

Also in attendance was the second executive director of the organization, Freddie Jaquez, who retired from the position in June of 2017.  Freddie talked about his experiences operating the Grow Our Own program for high school students interested in pursuing healthcare careers, and he also sincerely thanked the professional healthcare providers who serve as preceptors. Preceptors are practicing medical professionals who gives personal instruction, training, and supervision to a student studying to work within their field. Preceptors can help sway healthcare students on rural rotation to work in medically underserved areas such as the San Luis Valley. Several current preceptors were in attendance at the celebration.

The current Executive Director Eric T. Stevens, announced that the SLV AHEC will be doubling in scope and size in October, thanks to several new funding streams including a major federal opioid grant. In recent years, the SLV AHEC has been an important driver in efforts to address the opioid epidemic, including providing education to healthcare providers, overdose education and naloxone distribution to law enforcement and community members, and this year the formation of a partnership to open the SLV Health Access Risk Reduction Project (SHARRP), which aims to provide connections to critical services to community members who are suffering from opioid use disorder.

In attendance at the celebration was longtime SLV AHEC board member Linda Moore-Owsley; Moore-Owsley’s father (a physician) recruited her to serve on the board 40 years ago, and her service has been continuous. Other longtime board members in attendance were Helen Lester, Virginia Jordan, and Joseph Valdez, who have all served on the board for over a decade.

Healthcare professionals who are interested in becoming preceptors may contact Eric Stevens at the SLV AHEC at 719-589-4977, as may current local preceptors who would like to receive a Colorado tax credit for their valuable service.

Caption: Every past SLV AHEC Executive Director reunited at the 40th Anniversary Celebration. From left are Founding Director Al Kelly, current Director Eric T. Stevens, and retired Director Freddie Jaquez./Courtesy photo by Mario Nicolas