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Nelson mayor recovering from broken elbow

Deb Kozak fell last week and received treatment at the hospital in Trail. She is now recovering and ready to get back to work.
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Nelson Mayor Deb Kozak broke and dislocated her elbow last week

Nelson Mayor Deb Kozak took a tumble last week, breaking and dislocating her arm, but she's already recovering well and eager to get back to work.

"I was stepping out of a store and my heel hit a pebble. It was pretty quick — down I went," Kozak told the Star from the hospital on Monday. She was rescued by Brittny Anderson, an environmental technologist at the Regional District of Central Kootenay.

"She saw me go down, came running across the street and took me to the hospital in my car," Kozak said gratefully. "I couldn't get into surgery until the next day. I've got some stitches and repair work that's been done on my elbow and now it's healing. It was dislocated and broken."

She will not be wearing a sling or a cast, however, as doctors have encouraged her to get it moving as quickly as possible.

"They want you to move it so it doesn't lock in place."

Anderson said she was happy to help.

"We live in a caring community and we need to support each other. I hope if I had fallen community members would've been there to help me."

Kozak was disappointed to miss the Room to Live fundraiser concert on Friday evening. She sent councillor Valerie Warmington in her place. Kozak formerly worked as the building manager for Ward St. Place, the recipient of the Room to Live campaign's largesse.

"I heard really good things, the entertainment was fantastic, and they've raised a lot of money. The society has been so focused on this goal of renovating Ward St. Place and providing decent places to live. And we have a community that supports that in such a big way."

"For a smaller community like Nelson what's really wonderful is it provides affordable housing and the businesses also support that work. They operate without any grants, and the rents the residents pay goes towards supporting the building."

She's eager to find out whether or not the concert was able to raise the $15,000 she challenged the community to put together. The final fundraising tally has not been finished.

Kozak said community members have no reason to worry about her.

"I'm fine," she said. "I'll be back to work as soon as I can."