It has been almost a week since the public health authorities announced school closures and the number of residents isolating is in the thousands.
Through the challenges of the latest COVID-19 outbreak, Yellowknifers continue to rally around one another for support.
When Brie OSA国际影视传媒橩eefe heard about the partial lockdown, she thought first about the students who might not fully understand the new set of rules. Having an 11-year-old step-daughter herself, OSA国际影视传媒橩eefe wanted to reach out to households to show support to families in isolation.
Enter isolation advent calendars.
Rather than one or two bigger presents, OSA国际影视传媒橩eefe filled her Walmart cart with little gifts and toys costing $2 to $3 to create advent calendars SA国际影视传媒渃ounting down the days to when we can get back to normal life.SA国际影视传媒� She wrapped them in newspaper with a letter indicating that if recipients continued to do their best everyday, they could unwrap a new present. She delivered the gifts to some friends with young children and posted the idea to Facebook to share with others.
OSA国际影视传媒橩eefe said the isolation news first made her SA国际影视传媒渟o angry to be in this situationSA国际影视传媒� but the advent calendars felt like a way to distract herself, and direct her energies towards something more positive.
SA国际影视传媒淥therwise we will just become super negative and get lost in the frustration of the situation instead of concentrating on ways that we can get through it,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淵ellowknife is so close-knit, and we are going to get through it.SA国际影视传媒�
Eamonn and Aine OSA国际影视传媒橰eilly, 9 and 6, are among the recipients of the advent calendars.
Seeing whatSA国际影视传媒檚 next to unwrap has been SA国际影视传媒渟omething to look forward to everyday,SA国际影视传媒� Eamonn said.
TheySA国际影视传媒檝e so far found stickers, sidewalk chalk and a card game among their treasures, but their favourite has been a light-up baton. Since the ends of the batons bear resemblance to the coronavirus molecule, Eamonn and AineSA国际影视传媒檚 mother Jessica Simpson, said that the siblings love playing SA国际影视传媒減ass the coronavirus.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 good to have a sense of humour about these things,SA国际影视传媒� Simpson said.
While she said her kids have been adjusting to isolation, her daughter in particular has been struggling with the distance from her friends and grandparents.
SA国际影视传媒淗aving someone drop off gifts makes her feel like she still matters,SA国际影视传媒� Simpson said. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 important to help each other and lift each otherSA国际影视传媒檚 spirits in times like these because you never know whatSA国际影视传媒檚 happening in different households.SA国际影视传媒�
After posting the idea on the Hell Yeah Yellowknife Facebook group, OSA国际影视传媒橩eefe said others seemed interested in following suit.
In putting together her most recent kit, she noticed some of the toy shelves where she had been buying the gifts were empty. A sign, she hopes, that the idea is catching on.
OSA国际影视传媒橩eefeSA国际影视传媒檚 kits are just one of the ways Yellowknifers are helping each other through this pandemic flare up.
After school isolation measures were announced, another Facebook group SA国际影视传媒� NJ MacPherson Isolation volunteers - community support SA国际影视传媒� cropped up to buy and deliver groceries and lend a hand to those in isolation. The group, started May 2, is now almost 500 members strong.
As some people are hesitant to ask for help, OSA国际影视传媒橩eefe is reminding residents to reach out to friends and family SA国际影视传媒渨ho might need a pick me up.SA国际影视传媒�
