Marni Fedeyko
An initiative brought forth by the Town Of Cochrane last week will certainly help hold our community together.
Printable postcards that can be left on a neighbouring home’s doorstep, while respecting physical distancing is one way for people to offer help or support to those residents in need.
Mayor Jeff Genung, says the #CochraneTogether concept was created because of the overwhelming number of residents that have reached out to offer support.
“This community is known for our friendly people, our high level of volunteerism, and our strong community connections. I’m sure other communities are pulling together in their own ways, but #CochraneTogether is our way of staying strong, supporting each other, performing acts of caring while making sure everyone knows the facts.”
Remaining committed to focusing on the positive, Genung shares Cochranites are really stepping forward, and that is a good news story. “Obviously, this is a difficult time for all. The news can be so hard to listen to, but there’s also so much good out there. Cochrane is rising to the challenge, and we want to make sure we celebrate that.”
While the overall impact of small initiatives like #CochraneTogether remains unknown at this time, Genung believes concepts, like this one, help us all to focus on what is truly important. “More families are cooking and eating together. More people are reaching out to friends and family and having long conversations. People are exploring their creativity and learning new things. I think we’ll come out of this a gentler, more caring community because we know what it’s like to need help and support.”
Encouraging residents to print off the cards, whether you know your neighbour or not, could also have a tremendous impact on someone’s mental health. “That’s it exactly. And it’s also why we’re saying ‘physical distancing’ not ‘social distancing.’ We want to remind people to stay connected socially — whether it’s through video chats, virtual meals together, or homemade posters in your windows. We need a social connection for our mental health.”
Lastly, knowing how overwhelmingly stressful Covid-19 has been for people, Genung encourages anyone who could use support to access the Town’s FCSS page for a list of resources which you can find HERE.
Samantha Nickerson
