Consider This (https://consider-this.ca/)
Whether it is a hot meal to an elderly woman or a bit of help around the house for a retired man, Northumberland Community Care has assisted people in need for more than 30 years. The programs are diverse. They include meals on wheels, transportation services for hospital visits, a host of support services to keep people living at home, plus hospice and palliative care. Like so many other organizations, the pandemic left Executive Director Trish Baird and her staff trying to find ways to continue to serve this vulnerable group over the past two months.
It is now an all too familiar mantra: physical distance, wash your hands, stay home, wear a mask. But, there is a lot more to it than just repeating those guidelines. Businesses are reopening. We are being given more chances to get outside and enjoy nature.
On May 19, the Ontario government announced it was relaxing a number of restrictions it put in place to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The idea was to “flatten the curve” to prevent widespread illness and death. While it allowed some businesses the ability to re-open in a limited way, it also permitted some recreational opportunities to start up. It was a chance to see if people could follow public health guidelines.
Learning seamanship might sound like something out of a swashbuckling movie like Pirates of the Caribbean. Yet twice a week, about 23 young people between the ages of nine and 12 meet at a hall on Mill Street in Port Hope next to a fish and chip shop to learn the skills of sailors and much more. The Navy League of Northumberland has been a going concern since 2003. And its leader, Lt. Michael Pigeon, was recently recognized for his service to the organization.
Close to 100,000 migrant workers from the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America come to Canada each year to work in the agri-food industry. Hundreds come to Northumberland to help, especially on the fruit and vegetable farms. Many apple growers will tell you, it is an essential part of their business. But with travel bans and concerns over the spread of COVID-19, there were big questions marks about what was going to happen this spring. Farmers lobbied hard and got exemptions, along with a financial aid package.
The Cobourg Public Library is now loaning books through a curb-side pickup. This is all part of a major metamorphosis taking place led by Chief Executive Officer Tammy Robinson and her staff. They are to re-inventing the library and its place in the community. And it is all goes back to the beginning of the pandemic in mid-March.
The key was to see the opportunities that existed. Continue Reading →
The other day I was looking out my window only to see a local construction crew working on a roof. None of them were six feet apart. There was no physical distancing. The same day, I received an email from a national grocery chain heralding the expansion of hours, allowing more people into his company’s stores, along with the opening of meat counters and bakeries. Yet, scanning social media, there is a wave of people expressing their concerns that we are reopening too quickly. Continue Reading →
More and more we are hearing about the mental health echo. This is the effect of the pandemic on people’s psyche. The physical distancing, isolation, and other measures are placing unprecedented anxiety and stress on our lives. Mental health services in Northumberland are expanding. We have watched as new and existing organizations work hard to meet the needs of our community. Continue Reading →
With the provincial government slowly trying to restart the economy, local businesses face numerous challenges. Some have already adapted, pivoting into the new limitations of physical distancing, pick up or delivery, and online commerce. Business organizations and lobby groups representing the various sectors, like small business, manufacturing, retail, tourism, play an increasingly vital role in helping through the transition. To give us another viewpoint on the local economy, I was pleased to speak with Port Hope Chamber of Commerce CEO Brenda Whitehead. She is working both locally and across the county with businesses and governments to support entrepreneurs as they navigate the maze of change taking place. Continue Reading →
It is amazing how small things can really hurt. Take for example a tiny bit of cat kibble under a barefoot on the kitchen floor. A stiff collar rubbing against your neck. A lump in an old chair that won’t disappear no matter how much you shift around. Then, think about wearing a face mask for a 12-hour shift. Continue Reading →