“What do you remember about 2020?”
 

Already I look forward to the day, sometime in the future, when my grandchildren will ask me for stories about the infamous year of 2020… when I can talk about this global crisis in the past tense.

What will I tell them? No doubt it will have some haunting parlance akin to a movie script, an almost unbelievable tale of an invisible foe that brought the entire world to its knees.

But like every great tale, this one too will have a moral: it’s in our darkest hour that the brightest lights shine. Of course, I speak specifically of the everyday heroes, the community champions who step up when the going gets tough. That’s the takeaway I want to leave my grandchildren.

Generally speaking, it doesn’t take long for these community champions to jump into action. Literally within hours of the Town of Niverville and the RM of Ritchot calling for volunteers to aid the vulnerable, residents responded.

“I literally had 20 people jump to the task within 20 minutes,” says Janice Burnett, the RM of Ritchot’s Service to Seniors coordinator. “I have people from every community within Ritchot ready to go if needed. All I’ve needed to do is issue out a request for help and I have had someone respond within minutes.”

Warren Britton, recreation facility manager for the Town of Niverville, has had the same experience. Currently, he has a list of 22 names—and that list is growing daily. As of yet, he’s had no requests for assistance but anticipates that could change as the weeks progress.

“I think on our side of things, it’s good to be proactive and ready if we do get requests,” Britton says. “We don’t want to be scrambling for volunteers if issues start to come in.”

As for Burnett, she says her volunteers have already been put to work picking up groceries and food hampers from Winnipeg Harvest for those who need to remain in complete isolation.

“There is one senior community member sewing masks for use by volunteers,” Burnett says. “She is using all her own materials and not charging for the masks. She’s stressing that they will not keep the virus out but [they still serve as] a reminder to not touch your face.”

Already this volunteer has made more than 250 masks.

Many, many others are using social media as a medium to bring cheer and connection while in isolation.

“The chatter [on social media] is positive and it’s really nice [to see],” Burnett says. “There are more families spending time together and, though they joke, everyone appears to be really having fun. I have seen more walking being done by small family groups than usual. It’s nice seeing people together in their little family groups being happy.”

The goal, of course, should be to spread joy and not the virus, so people are getting incredibly creative in doing so. Lisa Letkeman of Niverville, along with her daughter Olivia, wasted no time after the schools closed to initiate a family-friendly activity to give parents and their little ones something fun to do while isolating.

“I’m a helper by nature, so when there’s a crisis my mind automatically starts thinking of ways I can help,” says Letkeman. “Social distancing makes it hard to help in traditional ways, so you have to get creative.”

The duo created a safari in the park by printing and laminating 14 exotic animals and placing them in strategic areas throughout Hespeler Park for families to hunt for as they go for walks.

“I’ve had so many positive comments on Facebook… people messaging me to thank us for doing it,” Letkeman says. “The penguin seems to be the hardest to find, so I have people asking for hints as to where it is. If families don’t find all the animals the first time they are out, they make plans to go back to try again. I love it when parents post pictures of their kids [when they find the animals]. It’s very rewarding to know such a simple act can bring so much joy.”

In a similar vein, teddy bears and other stuffed animals have been appearing in windows of more and more Niverville homes, providing an opportunity for families to go on a “bear hunt.” Others are taping their art projects or messages of love and hope in their windows for the neighbourhood to see.

One especially heart-warming story is that of a group of thoughtful individuals who reached out to their neighbour, four-year-old Braelynn, who was born with a genetic disease called spinal muscular atrophy. This disorder restricts her to a power wheelchair and compromises her lungs, putting her at high risk of contracting a fatal form of pneumonia.

Other than the occasional walk for fresh air, the family will be strictly quarantined until it’s once again safe to socialize.

“Our neighbors are familiar with Braelynn’s disease and disability and our family’s challenges,” says Braelynn’s mother Maylia. “They knew we were isolating, so on Sunday they messaged us that they wanted to plan a scavenger hunt for her. They [sent] us pictures of what she had to find and had prizes beside each item. When we went outside, they were in the street to cheer her on and give her clues, all while practicing social distancing and staying a good distance away from us.”

Maylia says they’ve been missing out on the usual extended family support which they’d have under normal circumstances. This experience, she says, has buoyed their spirits more than their neighbours will ever know.

Natalie Batkis is one of many residents who is finding a distraction from the bad news in the media by helping people in her community.

“It makes you feel like you are doing your part,” Batkis says. “I’m not a healthcare worker and I don’t work in essential services, so I’m just trying to contribute the best I can. I think it’s a great time to evaluate what your gifts are and use them in a way that helps others, if you can.”

Batkis says it’s not just the vulnerable who need extra support right now. The children, too, have had their world shaken and she’s thankful to her son’s teacher for providing the almost daily video connection that helps him stay grounded and busy.

“I think in times of crisis you will see the best of humanity or you will see the worst,” Batkis says. “I feel like Canadians have stepped up to the challenge in a positive way. While the information from health and government officials is grim most days, there are those beautiful moments when you see people cheering for healthcare workers on their front porches, or stores giving seniors and those most vulnerable the chance to shop safely. We need those moments of light in what feels like a lot of darkness. My hope is that once we get through the thick of this, we slow down and keep focusing on taking care of each other.”