November Growing the Cedar Valley

posted on Wednesday, December 16, 2020 in Grow Cedar Valley

November Growing the Cedar Valley Stories

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Advanced Family Eye Care

"Dr. Brad Boyle has always dreamt of leading an organization – serving patients, team members, and communities.  

Since graduating from Illinois College of Optometry in Spring of 2016 Brad has been practicing eye care, learning the world of optometry, and shaping his dream for reality. His official leadership journey began in October of 2019 when he became the owner of Advanced Family Eye Care in Independence, IA.

Dr. Boyle knew he wanted to spread his passion for eye care, growing team members, and community investment beyond the walls of one location, one town. In July of this year, Advanced Family Eye Care opened its doors in Waterloo at 622 Progress Ave, Suite B. 

Despite COVID and among many other optometrists, the Advanced Family Eye Care team is working tirelessly to serve patients choosing them for their eye care needs and this goes far beyond an updated prescription.

Digging deep to assess your overall eye health is the basis of each exam. Some common conditions found through an eye exam are glaucoma, macular degeneration, and cataracts. They also look for signs of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart issues, clotting factors, cholesterol changes, and even cancers. The team is quick to communicate findings and concerns with primary care providers so they can help treat them together. That’s what makes them eye care beyond the prescription.

Advanced Family Eye Care guarantees an exam within one week of reaching out or the exam is free. Call 319-266-6219 or visit https://advancedfamilyeyecare.com/locations/waterloo/ to schedule an appointment with Dr. Boyle. Dr. Kearns, or Dr. Menet."

MercyONE

MercyOne is pleased to announce plans for a new Rehabilitation and Wellness Center in Waterloo. The new center, slotted to open in early 2021, will be home for rehabilitation therapies and a fully-equipped wellness center for the public.

 

Cedar Valley Hospice

Cedar Valley Hospice recently launched a new program called TreeTV. TreeTV is an extension of our Eucalyptus Tree Youth Grief program focused on helping young people in our community understand their feelings around the death of a loved one. These videos can be used as a conversation starter to help families have open conversations about death, as well as providing stories, activities, and crafts for youth ages 3-18.

Our grief departments have also pivoted to help people grieving a death during the pandemic. With the traditional norms changing due to COVID-19, our grief team is still ready and able to assist family members during the pandemic who are grieving, especially with the holidays around the corner. To learn more we encourage you to visit our website www.cvhospice.org
 

Gordon Flesch Company

Tammy Bedard of Gordon Flesch Company shared a "...new product line that Gordon Flesch is offering due to the current pandemic crisis that is affecting us all. We use this product at all of our offices and have sold to several offices, daycares, schools, etc. It’s a pretty nifty piece that is easy to set up and inexpensive, versus paying someone to take temps as well as putting them at an exposure risk. RAPID TEMPERATURE SCREENING is a Touchless fever detection is now an essential tool against COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. Keep your staff, visitors, and the public safe, while helping to identify those who may be sick.

Waterloo Community Foundation

1. In June, Waterloo Board Chair Wilfred M. Johnson announced that the Foundation achieved accreditation and confirmed compliance with National Standards for U. S. Community Foundations. Why is this important? 
   • This designation means that a peer review panel rigorously examined our compliance with key operations of donor services, investment management, grant-making and administration, and
   • We can now offer Endow Iowa Tax Credits, a 25% benefit on Iowa tax returns when donors (individuals, businesses, or financial institutions) donate to a qualified permanent endowment fund at the Waterloo Community Foundation.
   • We were created in 2015 to benefit Waterloo now and in the future!  We are on that trajectory!
     
     
      
2.  In September, the Foundation announced that the First Responders Fund, established in April as a response to the COVID pandemic, surpassed its fundraising goal for local police, fire, and health care workers. Realizing early on that the COVID-19 epidemic would pose a significant strain on local resources, the Foundation challenged the community with an initial $5,000 match.  Our community overwhelmingly responded by contributing an additional $29,325 to the fund.  Each of these first responder agencies who help keep our community and families safe received $6,865:  Waterloo Police, Waterloo Fire, UnityPoint, MercyOne, and Peoples Community Health Clinic.
   
   
    
3. Even with COVID challenges, two of our funded agencies worked collaboratively to host two outside food truck events in the Church Row Neighborhood in July and August.  Try Pie, a social enterprise that teaches young women entrepreneurial skills, served up home-made pie, while EMBARC, a grassroots, community-based, non-profit organization founded by refugees and for refugees, provided culture-rich garden selections for sale.  It was a success, with new partnerships, friendships, and a growing sense of community.
   
   

Thank you to those who submitted their stories. Click the button below to submit your own!
 

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