 By Staff
May 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Connie Price who heads up the production side of the 100% cotton face masks with cloth ties that are being distributed in the community, reports on what her team has achieved.
“To date, from nine dedicated Sewers, there have been 470 masks made, with almost 300 of those being distributed in the next week and another 250 in the process of being made. Fantastic team work!
 Ward 1 Councillor Kelven Galbraith with his wife Abigail modelling masks  Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte with her daughter Danielle – modeling masks. The Councillor is handing them out to her constituents. “Just so you know what happens once the masks have been sewn. After the sewn masks are sealed in envelopes, along with Gov’t of Canada Guidelines for Use and Care of Non-surgical Face Masks, they are held in quarantine for 72 hours, then delivered by the Lions Club.
“Presently we are delivering to the Burlington Food Bank to go in their Door Delivered Food Hampers, for the Clients who come to Wellington Square Church for Take-Home Dinners and to the Seniors at Halton Region’s Wellington Terrace Apartments, who don’t have any.
There are other subsidized Seniors’ Apartments, who are also in need of masks for when the Seniors have to go out to shop, or even in their hallways, elevators, laundry rooms etc. and will be next on our delivery list.
“None of these people can afford to buy masks, so your sewing and participation to get free ones to them, is very much appreciated. Thank you for your efforts.
 Jan Mowbray working at a surging machine to make cloth ties for the masks – 4 ties per mask “This is an awesome Team! Truly, the community helping their community neighbours. With blessings and many thanks,
Connie refers to this effort as the Gazette Community Face Mask Initiative. There is a bit of truth to that statement; full disclosure, the Gazette did get it off the ground by donating all the cotton cloth that was needed and sewing the cloth ties. From that point forward Connie Price found the volunteers and got the distribution team in place.
They are close to making and distributing 1000 masks.
By Staff
May 8th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
This is a very rich city.
Take a look at the organizations in place – offering food support; meals, doing the shopping for you. Each of those organizations has dozens, in several cases hundreds of people showing up every day serving as volunteers.
Many people and families across Burlington are finding themselves in need of food support, including those who have never needed to access a food bank before or simply need food delivery. Within Burlington, there are dozens of different non-profit food organizations willing to help anyone who needs food, including food donations, prepared meals or simply delivering groceries. Below is a short list of some of the organizations offering help.
 In order to make up those meals to be delivered all kinds of food has to be brought into the church kitchen. Friday Night Community Take Home Meal Bags
Already prepared meals as well as any available produce, dairy, hygiene and baby needs. Pick up Monday, Wednesday, Friday, noon to 4 p.m. Wellington Square United Church, 2121 Caroline St. *Delivery as needed.
For more information, email llunski@wsquare.ca or call 905-634-1849 or visit www.wsquare.ca/outreach/friday-community/
Food for Life Pre-bagged Food Programs
• St. Luke’s Anglican Church, 1382 Ontario St. Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m.
• Faith Christian Reformed Church, 2258 Mountainside Dr. Tuesdays, 6:15 to 7 p.m.
• Brant Hills Presbyterian Church, 2138 Brant St. Wednesdays, 1:30 p.m.
• Tansley United Church, 2111 Walkers Line, Fridays, 9:30 a.m.
• Good Food Line, 905-635-1106 ext. 7 or email goodfood@foodforlife.ca
Compassion Society
Non-perishable food packages, produce, meat, bread, and hygiene Items available Monday, Wednesday, Friday, noon to 2 p.m. 484 Plains Rd. E., Unit 14. For more information, email contact@compassionsociety.net or call 905-592-3722.
Salvation Army
Clients may come weekly if necessary to receive non-perishables, milk, eggs, produce, frozen meat, baked goods; quantity and variety will vary from week to week. 5040 Mainway, Unit 9; Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to noon. To request food, call 905-637-3893.
 Each of the organizations has their own niche -Food Bank is part of a wider network. Burlington Food Bank
Pre-packed boxes of non-perishable foods, hygiene, produce, milk, eggs, bread and frozen meat. Contactless delivery to lobby or door. To request food, email info@burlingtonfoodbank.ca or call 905-637-2273.
Glad Tidings Church
Glad Tidings Church would like to serve those who require mandatory isolation with free grocery delivery. For more information on how to receive help, go to gtburlington.org/groceries or call 905-335-8172 and leave a message.
These organizations are delivering the services that are needed. The corporate sector is ponying up some of the money that is needed. Every city is doing its own thing – this is what we are doing in Burlington.
The Gazette has put together a team of parents who are at home taking care of their children while the province goes through school closures and the shut down of everything other than essential services.
Ashley Worobec and Nicki St. George will write regularly on how they are coping. We invite parents to take part in this initiative by adding comments to each Coping with COVID19 & the kids article.
 By Nicki St George
May 7th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
WEEK 7 –
 What you don’t see in this drawing – is what appears at the bottom this piece MONDAY, April 27th
It is my brother’s birthday today and the 5-year anniversary of the day my family arrived in Canada from New Zealand. My husband posts a memory on his Facebook page saying ‘no regrets’ in reference to our decision to move here. I concur; however, lately I have been rather envious of my friends and family in NZ with their low COVID rates and inspirational leader, Jacinda Adern. But mostly I am envious of the fact that their lockdown rules are being relaxed and they are now heading out to the beaches.
TUESDAY, April 28th
The day unfolds as usual. School work in the morning, bake something in the afternoon. I’ve created a list of ‘must dos’ for Beatrix and use screen time as a carrot. My hope is that I won’t have to ask her to get dressed 15 times (at least) every morning or chase her around the house with a hairbrush. But I do not have the discipline for reward charts and she seems to derive no satisfaction from folding down the little ‘to do’ tabs that I had carefully crafted. Still, I think she is getting the message and her behaviour is better this week.
WEDNESDAY, April 29th
As my return to work is approaching, I decide that we need to buy a Chromebook for the children to share. This involves spending a few hours trying to decide between the various models and features. Finally, I find the one and it is at BestBuy in Milton. Dan seems to think that driving to Milton for curbside pickup will be some kind of hardship for me, but I’m actually quite excited at the prospect of a whole hour in the car by myself! And it is glorious…until I get a frantic phone call from Dan because zoom has crashed my computer and Bea was about to start her virtual dance class…
 Chromebook worse for these two – Mom likes it as well. THURSDAY, April 30th
The Chromebook is awesome. It has all the Apps that the kids are familiar with from school and they enjoy taking turns picking songs from Go Noodle and can navigate the device better than I can. The iPad just doesn’t cut it when it comes to google drive. I am starting to feel better about being able to multi-task while homeschooling and working from home.
 Trampoline – constant use Our trampoline, which got taken out of the garage and set up last weekend, has been in constant use. Except for today because it is too cold outside. The kids need some kind of brain break, so we all find something to balance on our heads while we play follow the leader.
Later we play hide and seek. I sometimes wonder if all the grandmas of the world are just shaking their heads at mums like me and my friends.
What do we really have to complain about? They would have spent every day entertaining their kids and loving it. My friend sends me a viral video about how we need to re-examine our lifestyles and what caused us to get into this whole mess in the first place. I couldn’t agree more.
FRIDAY, May 1st
Today is officially my first day back to work. I feel like a fish out of water. When I left work at the end of November for my surgery and cancer treatment classes were in session and nobody had heard of the coronavirus. Now, it is like I am starting a new job. There is post-pandemic jargon to familiarize myself with and a slew of new technologies to get my head around, not to mention the whole zoom meeting culture and etiquette. Camera on or off? Can I just ‘leave meeting’ discretely? My computer, sensing my trepidation, crashes and that signals the end of my workday (at 11:00 am).
 Dan scours the Bulk Food Warehouse for Kashmiri curry powder and cardamom seeds. SATURDAY, May 2nd
We are not given the warm, sunny day that the weather network had promised. Dan spends the day distributing soil and grass seed to our front lawn. I believe this is called ‘over-seeding’. The children have been asking for butter chicken for dinner. Dan and I both like to cook and we make our curries from scratch. So, while Dan scours the Bulk Food Warehouse for Kashmiri curry powder and cardamom seeds, I study Jamie Oliver and Maunika’s FoodTube tutorial. And, well, it’s not an exaggeration to say that I haven’t stopped thinking about that curry ever since.
 Two baby bunnies in there – more to this story for sure SUNDAY, May 3rd
Finally! It’s here. The first day above 20 degrees that we have seen in about 6 months (and it is just the one day because the week ahead is back to single digits again). Leo complains that it is too hot (eyeroll). I get a sunburn. We eat breakfast, lunch and dinner on the back deck.
For the last few weeks, I have been watching a rabbit make a burrow in the planter box which sits on my deck and normally holds my herb garden. Today we find her sitting atop the planter box and upon closer inspection, we notice that she is feeding two little baby bunnies. It’s a nice way to end the week.
By Staff
May 7th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Come Saturday we can go to a hardware store.
That’s progress.
One of the biggest reasons the provincial government is able to begin the process of opening things us is because of how, for the most part, people have listened and followed the rules.
 Councillor Stolte, on the right, with daughter Danielle wearing masks made by volunteer community sewers. Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte, put what we do in perspective when she said: “The COVID-19 virus doesn’t move on its own; it needs people to move it.”
Physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most important steps everyone needs to take. To discourage people from gathering and to help reduce the transmission of the virus, the City of Burlington has closed all vehicular access to our parks.
Only walking, jogging, riding a bike or scooter/wheelchair through a park or trail is permitted, except for Spencer Smith Park, where only walking is allowed.
Remember to:
- Keep two metres away from others – about the length of a hockey stick
- Move to the right on pathways to make room for others to pass safely
 Six feet ? Maybe. The younger set – 18-25 roughly have a bit of a problem with the distancing thing. That demographic has been spared for the most part. The day there is a death due to an infection they might begin to listen.
The province has shown strong, consistent leadership and they have shown that when they don’t get it right they know how to change quite quickly. The decision to drop a license plate that didn’t work is a solid example.
When this is all over, and it will be all over at some point there will be an investigation where we will learn how wrong we have been with the way we regulate retirement, nursing and long term care homes. We heard one leading medical practitioner insist that there be criminal investigations. Some of the people in the care business may have already “lawyered up”.
It is interesting to note where the deaths took place and where they didn’t. Some people were doing the job.
Hardware stores and golf courses – opening up. Hair salons and nail parlours opening up.
When the restaurants and the patios come back on line summer might actually arrive.
 By Staff
May 6th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Parks are closed.
The Conservation areas are closed.
People don’t like the closures – but they are part of coping with the COVID19 disease that has brought about the death of thousands.
So we put up with.
 One of the lambs – it has to be fed.  American Kestrel at the Mountsberg Raptor Centre However, there is a problem, Mountsberg is home to more than 60 animals, from hawks, owls and eagles to horses, goats and sheep, a whole bunch of bees and even a couple snakes, to name just a few. Conservation Halton has a dedicated team of staff members who care for the animals, and in return, the animals help to teach school children, summer camp participants and park visitors about conservation and agriculture.
It costs about $200,000 per year to feed and care for the animals at Mountsberg, and because the Conservation Halton Parks do not receive support from municipal, provincial or federal taxes, they depend on entrance fees, membership purchases and other donations to fund these expenses. With the parks closed, due to COVID-19, Conservation Halton does not currently have this revenue, but they do still have mouths to feed.
The Conservation Foundation launched the Mountsberg Animal Food Fund to help feed the animals; they would like you to consider donating on their website: The campaign went live on #GivingTuesdayNow and will remain active through the spring to ensure the animals get the care and support they need.
The full donate web site address is: www.conservationhalton.ca/mountsberg-animal-food-fund.
Conservation Halton is the community based environmental agency that protects, restores and manages the natural resources in its watershed. The organization has staff that includes ecologists, land use planners, engineers, foresters and educators, along with a network of volunteers, who are guided by a Board of Directors comprised of municipally elected and appointed citizens. Conservation Halton is recognized for its stewardship of creeks, forests and Niagara Escarpment lands through science-based programs and services.
 By Staff
May 6th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Some State Governors in the United States are thinking of making the wearing of face masks mandatory. Ontario hasn’t taken to that idea yet.
A major Burlington supermarket announced that it requires patrons to wear a face mask when they are in the store.
 Ward 1 Councillor Kelven Galbraith and his wife Angie Blignaut Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte and her daughter Danielle One of the problems is that face masks are in short supply.
The Gazette undertook to provide the material and the ties for face masks that are being sewn together by volunteers from across the city – there are ten sewers in place now and they have one person cutting cloth from bolts and running the cloth ties through a surging machine.
A couple of members of council are wearing masks and distributing them to people in their wards. Those masks are fashion statements.
The Food Bank plans to include a mask with every food hamper they deliver. Arrangements are being worked on to collaborate with other community organizations.
 By Margaret Lindsay Holton
May 5th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
I was asked by the editor for my opinion about “where the arts are going with the virus getting in the way of everything.”
Ok. This is where I think the arts are going …
The arts are exploding at the moment. Previously under-paid and unpaid TALENT is foregoing the traditional means of gaining venues, exhibitions, funding, acceptance & credibility through mainstream society. Instead, they are moving over to internet streaming services to connect, learn, engage and get paid from the #screenaddicted.
And it’s going completely tribal. Creative hubs are emerging and coalescing around talent.
Listen > https://open.spotify.com/track/1p8npYnb9vbm8JdWwkwjaT
Watch: https://youtu.be/F5pgG1M_h_U
The cream is rising.
As example, on Twitter, a vibrant, international #writingcommunity ~ (with the best being unabashedly local), is tearing up how thoughts are shared between others.
There are now incredible opportunities to meet some of the best minds thinking about our era and current predicament. (Supplied links in bio profiles connect you to immediate purchase options if you want to pursue their thoughts further.)
 Margaret Atwood – has a huge following. But note, some authors are more engaging and engaged than others. In literature, Stephan King, J.K. Rowlings, Margaret Atwood and Diana Gabaldon are heavily followed so the chance of a one-on-one interaction, or reaction, with them is near nil. Surprisingly interactive ‘thinking’ twitterers are Robert McFarlane, Colette of ‘Bealtaine Cottage’ and Canadian business woman, Arlene Dickinson. All the above are worth following.
 The Arlene Dickinson profile began with a television program – she has used social media to maintain and built on that and is now seen as a savvy successful business woman Next is Youtube. To give you an idea of how good it is, I seldom watch Netflix at all anymore. I subscribe to channels by personalities or institutions that compliment my varied interests. A favourite of mine is the Oxford University Debating Society. They bring in guest speakers, to an oak podium or armchair, interview them, then open up the floor to questions from mostly undergraduates. Stephen Fry, Elon Musk, the founder of LinkedIn, and controversial Katie Hopkins of the U.K. have all spoken. It keeps the mind ticking.
Twitch is busy with the below 30 crowd. I’m not on it. Example: https://twitch.com/camilladerrico
Next is Instagram. For visual artists it’s both a gods-send and a devil’s curse. A gods-send because they can post their work. A devil’s curse because they can post their work.
Instagram is the great visual equalizer. Authenticity and talent is immediately evident. When you realize that the eye decides faster than the word, it’s clear there is a lot of junk that pretends to be ‘art’ on Instagram. No-one has to waste their time with those ‘art’ accounts. Instead, satisfy your visual hunger and follow WHATEVER interests you. Example, there are plenty of innovative and fascinating people around the world producing amazingly practical ideas for their communities ~ and none are “artists” in the ‘traditional’ sense of the word. Meaning, a skilled furniture restorer who shows his meticulous repair work on a stunning 18th century marquetry-inlaid English armchair is lightyears ahead of the imagery of a smeary graffiti artist who yells, yet again, about the ‘angst-of-the-artistic’.
#Photographers (amateur and professional) do very well on Instagram. Just remember that photographers are primarily framers not creators. So, look THROUGH the photos to understand what philosophical perspective the photographer is trying to sell you. ~ Example: Do they honour and pursue beauty, or are they all about the ugly? Ask yourself: why? Follow accordingly. Then, explore some more …
Finally, Facebook. Facebook is like your lovely Aunt’s cozy and inviting house. It’s always fun to visit, to catch-up, to joke and reminisce with family and friends. But you don’t live there. Artists will readily share their work there, looking for ‘Auntie’s approval’, but they definitely go elsewhere for ‘intensity’.
The best ‘art’ IDEAS, in my opinion, at the moment, are found on Twitter and Youtube. Lesser known mainstream news links are popping up and trending under #hashtags on Twitter, like The New Yorker Magazine with this insightful piece under hashtag, #COVID19 ~ ‘The Coronavirus & Our Future’.
As for some of the other sites, like TikTok of WhatsApp, I am not on those platforms, so, cannot comment. Perhaps someone else could add their two cents about those platforms. Personally, I don’t know any notable thinkers active over there. If you know of any, kindly supply links.
We’ve seen examples above of how artists are adapting in the short term. But how will #COVID19 impact the arts and the local, national and global arts communities long term?
If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the centuries, human beings can and will adapt to survive and thrive. Artists and the arts are often the markers that lead the way. Watch how the best among us manoeuvre ~ and follow them.
It is unlikely that we will head en masse to the Cineplex or our local bookstores anytime soon, but that does not mean you can’t have a ‘watch party’ with family or friends through the technology of Facebook or ‘visit’ through Zoom. You can support local book retailers by phoning in your order. (Amazon is not the only game in town.) Many booksellers have made timely and sensible provisions to get your ordered books to you.
Of course, there will be casualties in the ‘commerce of art’, just as there will be in the larger economy. (Airlines are taking a beating. Even famed investor Warren Buffet is dumping airline stocks.)
Rest assured though, creative new initiatives and innovations will emerge. As is happening.
The invention and development of the internet, in our lifetime, offers access to ANYTHING. Embrace that.
Be sure too to brush up and build ‘off-screen’ resilience skills so that this necessary ‘transition’ is less fearful and overwhelming.
Why not take this #isolation time to learn to better prepare and cook nutritious meals for yourself and others? Savour anew those time-honored human rituals of ‘making’ as much as tasting. ~ Adapt. Survive.
Share this heart-warming Youtube ‘bedtime story’ with your wide-eyed, wondering children or grand-children ~
Humanity Will Make It.
 Margaret Lindsay Holton is an artist, she identifies herself and her work as “naive-surreal-folk-abstracts”, a descriptive moniker that demonstrates how her work falls outside of traditional and current ‘art schools’.
She is a typographer, a pinhole and photo-collage photographer, a furniture designer and furniture maker – learned that at the hands of her father. She was raised on a sheep farm in north Burlington, graduated from MMR high school, graduated from the University of Toronto. Holton has written 11 books.
She has created over forty short documentary films, under 15 minutes each.
Holton received the Alumni of Influence award by University College, University of Toronto and was nominated for the Premier of Ontario Arts Award.
By Pepper Parr
May 5th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
It is tough for the retail people.
They have gone through more than a month of no revenue and weeks of wondering how all this is going to work out.
The federal government has all kinds of programs and tons of money that they are throwing at almost everything. Heck the football league is looking for financial support.
City hall doesn’t have much in the way of immediate measurable support – the kind of thing that you can put into a bank account.
A small but smart initiative came out of the creative marketing people at the Burlington Downtown Business Association. Brian Dean – the Executive Director over there passes all the credit for this one back to his staff.
They offered a gift box. They call it the #DTBURLBOX.
 The first is targeted at Mother’s Day. Can’t take Mom out for breakfast and you may not even be able to invite her over for breakfast.
It was a limited production – they sold out.
The plan is to roll out a different box each month. If the BDBA use their creative juices they can come up with something targeted at any number of demographics. The kids – 3-6, the tweens, the teens, the Dad’s, the fisherman, the golfers – almost limitless.
It will be interesting to see what they come up with. Kudo’s for the effort.
The special gift box was seen as a way to support the downtown businesses during this difficult time. With the purchase of just one box, you are helping support multiple small businesses within our community. All proceeds go back to the vendors involved.
Each new box will be released at the beginning of the month and will be available for purchase in limited quantities on a first-come-first-served basis.
What was in the May Box?
Hand-selected items from each retailer include:
 • La Crème de la Crème Creamery – 6-piece caramel chocolates
• Pure Boutique – Hairclip
• MollyCake – “The Cookie” dough (1/2 pint)
• Harmony Fine Jewellers – Jewellery cleaning kit & $25 gift certificate
• Purity Nails and Spa – Foot mask
• Joelle’s – Wish n’ Wear Bracelet
• Soapy Penguin – Facial toner, oil or cream
• The Handmade House – Soy candle or room spray
• Centro Garden – Pre de Provence soap
Total Price of Box: $75 + HST This is a retail value of $150!
The May Box was sold on a curb-side pick-up basis in downtown Burlington.
The first Gift Box was marketed primarily to the people on the Downtown e-news subscriber list. The Gazette will tell you about the next box.
 By Pepper Parr
May 3rd, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
It was the first really nice sunny warm day since the decision was made to lock down the province with the Mayor telling anyone with ears to stay home – and when they do go out for some exercise to walk and not stop to talk.
The only way, the public has been told, to put an end to the pandemic is to ensure that the virus is not spread from person to person.
The Regional Public Health unit produces daily reports showing that infections in the Region are rising every day – not by a huge number – but they are rising.
That curve we have been told about is not flattening.
But – sunshine, good weather – what do people do?
 Playground was vacant – surrounded by yellow tape. I drove around the city in the northern part and then down into the waterfront and along the Beachway.
A couple of things were immediately evident. There were more police vehicles on the street; there were a lot of bikers roaring along and hundreds of young people on their bikes.
The vehicular traffic was not really heavy. On the residential streets most driveways had several cars parked.
I didn’t see very much in the way of sidewalk crowding.
 Some people wore masks – which they slipped away from their faces once they were outside the supermarket. Some people wore masks, some didn’t. Did see one couple – she wore nothing – he wore a mask and a shield.
There were children out and about but there weren’t hundreds of them.
People were respecting that six foot rule – for the most part.
 Each of the major supermarket chains has taken their own approach to staking out how they choose to respond to the public concern. Business for this sector is great. Brant and Lakeshore is definitely the pinch point the Mayor has mentioned several times.
Supermarket parking lots, as well as Costco weren’t packed solid but there was a steady flow of traffic in and out.
 Lowville Park – CLOSED  Mt Nemo -CLOSED Parks were all closed. Saw a couple of coffee shops that were opened but you couldn’t sit down.
 A hard sight for those who enjoy a cold one while sitting out on a patio. The Queen’s Head patio was barren – a terrible sight for a drinking man.
 People were reasonable spaced, most people respected the pedestrians only rule. Pedestrian traffic on the Promenade was steady and for the most part well-spaced out.
The message has certainly been heard and there didn’t appear to be a lot of worry from the people we spoke to – tough to have much in the way of a conversation six feet away from someone.
Two weeks from now we will see new numbers from the Public Health Unit and get some idea if our individual behavior is working.
I stood and watch small groups, 10 to 15 people, gather at intersections; some wearing masks other less than a foot away from people who were not wearing a mask.
 This is probably the location that bothers the public health people the most – Brant and Lakeshore – where people cross to get into Spencer Smith Park. City manager Tim Commisso said last week that he shudders when he thinks about what could be going on amongst those small groups of 10 to 15 people.
We will know soon enough.
The Provincial government wants to open things up – give people some breathing room and let some business operations open up.
It is going to be tricky; these are perilous times.
By Staff
May 3rd, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
When the need is there the commercial sector inevitably comes through.
Last week the Oakville and Burlington Lexus dealerships came together and wrote a cheque for $10,000 with $5000 going to the Food Banks in each city.
Those were badly needed dollars.
 From the left: Peter Wolfraim, President of the Fare Share Food Bank in Oakville, Frank Apa, the man who signed that cheque on behalf of the Lexus dealerships and Robin Bailey, Executive Director of the Burlington Food Bank. Burlington Food Bank Robin Bailey was at the Lexus dealership to take part in the photo op – he was standing beside a shiny new Lexus, which he will tell you is about as close as he is ever going to get to owning one of those vehicles.
The donation was very timely; food donations have dropped off during the crisis forcing our Food Banks to purchase their own food for deliveries to families.
For Bailey this was a great way to kick off Spring!
The Burlington Food Bank is now giving out 100% cotton Face Mask to any of their clients who need one. The masks are a Gazette initiative that involved the Burlington Community Seniors and ECoB – Engaged Citizens of Burlington.
The Gazette donated the cloth and did some of the sewing. There are currently ten community volunteers sewing masks from cloth provided by the Gazette.
Robin Bailey’s update.
The canned goods and toiletries collection is still on every Monday and Wednesday at St. Matthews Anglican Church on Plains Road – open from noon to 3:00. You can pick up a mask there as well.
By Pepper Parr
May 3rd, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Just how much Netflix can you take?
You get to the point where you’re bushed – enough. The Crown was great – good history but I’ve had enough. It was becoming predictable.
One gets tired of the American need to shoot everyone.
Margaret Lindsay Holton, Margaret Lindsay Holton, an area artist has treated all of us to something we’ve heard about; may have even listened to – but don’t really remember.
Should I tell you what she has shared or ask you to trust me and click on the link below.
I’m going to go for the trust angle.
You won’t regret it – this is more Canadian than the Calgary Stampede or that beer commercial.
This isn’t Holton’s work – it is something she is sharing
Try it – the quality is superb – you will want to share it.
Click here
By Pepper Parr
April 29th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
A ray of sunshine when the Canada’s Craft Breweries said: “If there was ever a time for beer lovers across the country to support their local craft breweries, it would be right now.”
The comment was part of a plea to the federal government for financial support.
A survey of the craft breweries on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the brewing industry in Canada. There was sufficient response from across the country to achieve a 95% confidence level with 5% margin of error.
 Let the suds flow. “Similar to many other industry sectors, craft breweries across Canada have been dramatically impacted by the current health and economic situation.” began Rick Dalmazzi, Executive Director of the CCBA. “For example, 44% of breweries reported a year over year revenue drop of over 50% in March, while another 25% were down over 25%. Over 77% of breweries anticipate that April will be the same or worse.”
There are over 1,100 craft breweries in every province and territory in Canada, with over 90% of them opening in the last decade. Many have helped to rejuvenate local economies and bring new employment to communities that have otherwise lost jobs. In provinces where it is legal, many breweries have added a home delivery service to help replace lost revenue. But it doesn’t come close to making up for their own restaurants and taprooms being closed, and keg sales to bars eliminated. The 317 survey respondents reported having to lay off 4,180 of their 6,409 employees, or 65%.
 “Cashflow is the biggest problem”, continued Dalmazzi. “Many of our member breweries are still in their investment growth phase, and therefore marginally profitable if at all. Everyone’s doing whatever it takes to weather the storm as best they can. Fortunately, we’ve seen very few permanent closures, but that will change if current conditions extend into the summer.” continued Dalmazzi.
The survey also found that craft breweries are stepping up to support the fight against COVID-19. Over 15% of respondents said that they are either making hand sanitizer or that their beer is being used to make it elsewhere. Most of the hand sanitizer being produced by breweries is for use within their local community.
“We are appreciative of the federal government’s wage subsidy and other programs. Ottawa has been very responsive to the financial needs of small businesses. However, our industry will need further support if it is to survive in its present form.” concluded Dalmazzi. “And if there was ever a time for beer lovers across the country to support their local craft breweries, it would be right now.”
By Pepper Parr
April 29th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington is very good at stepping up to the plate and filling a need.
What caring people have managed to do is create a supply chain that gets food to the Food Bank who in turn deliver it to people who, in some cases, are self-isolating and not able to get out to buy food.
 Robin Bailey does a short web site broadcast most days – keeping donors and those who need food up to date. The Food Bank has exceptional sources and were recently given significant sums to buy food.
Fresh vegetables and eggs are now being delivered to homes. The Food Bank has succeeded in teaching people to call in for food rather than drop by the Food Band to pick it up – which cuts down on people getting too close to each other.
One of the gaps in this food chain is personal toiletries and canned goods.
 If you need a mask – take a couple of cans of food to St Matthews Anglican church on Plains Road in Aldershot and pick up a mask when you leave. St Matthews in Aldershot has stepped into the gap and is collecting toiletries and canned goods.
They have set up a space outside their front door that is protected from weather where people can drop of the things that are needed.
Jim Young, one of the Aldershot volunteers said in a note he sent out to his circle of influence; “Just passing along some information on an Aldershot/Ward 1 initiative to help keep local food banks stocked and operating during these difficult times.
“I know I’ve sent this before but it is an ongoing need and it would be wonderful if ongoing donations could be received.
 “It is a joint effort by St Mathews Anglican Church, Partnering Aldershot and ECoB Ward 1, and is operated by volunteers from each organization.
“The Drive Thru donation is set up to be a safe, no contact, distanced method of giving.
“Please share this information as widely as you can. Think of it as a great way to get out of the house for twenty minutes while supporting a very worthwhile cause, made all the more essential in tough times.”
Connie Price added that the donations on Monday were a little on the short side; she urged people to step up on Wednesday (today) when the boxes are set out in front of the church between noon and 3:00 pm Monday and Wednesday.
By Pepper Parr
April 27th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 Bolts and bolts of cloth – being put to good use. It began with a comment from a friend who knew that we had a lot of cotton cloth – and a number of different sewing machines in the basement.
Why don’t you make masks and give them away?
So we did.
 We reached out to Burlington CareMongers and asked if there were people who could make masks if the cloth was provided. We had ten positive responses before the day was out.
It just built from there.
What kind of masks: the tie type of masks or with elastic?
Many people said elastic could get quite uncomfortable – so we opted for tie type masks.
 Four ties per mask – 2000 masks – you do the math. That meant we also had to make the ties.
We decided that we would make the ties and pass those along with the cloth and have the sewers do the assembly.
Someone had to do the organizing.
That’s when Connie Price came through – Big Time. She has undertaken the supervising of the sewers – getting material to them and following their output.
We then had to get the completed product from the mask makers. The Burlington Kinsman stood up and took on that task.
They will pick up the completed product, quarantine the bags for 72 hours and then deliver it to the people who will hand it out to the public.
The Burlington Community Seniors put up a bit of cash to cover the small expenses.
Then there has to be a location where the completed masks could be delivered; then inspected, then placed in plain brown envelopes and quarantined for 72 hours then handed over to the Burlington Lions Club who will deliver the ready to use masks to the organizations that were going to do the final distribution.
First batch of the masks being given out at St Matthews Anglican Church The was like creating, instructing and communicating with a small army.
So far it is working.
The first batch of 100 masks was delivered to Connie Price a few days ago. She is handing them out to people who drop off food at St Matthews Anglican Church. Part of that first shipment went to the Food Bank.
Councillor Stolte (ward 4) is working with the Caremongers to find volunteer sewers who are perhaps not on Facebook.
By Staff
April 28th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The summer is beginning to look quite quiet; the Burlington Downtown Car Show has been cancelled.
 Remembering when Ron Baker, organizer and promoter of the event announced today that “Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the uncertainty of protocol for social distancing in early July, the Burlington Downtown Car Show is cancelled for this year.
 Best argument ever for making Brant a pedestrian only street – car show crowd filled the street ‘The Car Show has become a mainstay of summer in the city. Five hundred meters of Brant Street in downtown Burlington is turned into a pedestrian mall with as many as 200 cars on display.
“The idea has always been to present a celebration of the automobile”, stated Ron Baker, car show founder. “We have had representation of every decade of the automobile on display, from 1910 to present day”. The show has attracted over 100,000 visitors in the past five years.
The summer of 2021 is an option.
 By Nicki St George
April 28th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Nicki St George is the mother of two, lives in Aldershot and teaches at a private school in Oakville. She is also a recovering cancer patient.
WEEK 6 – seriously?
As the days are becoming indistinguishable from one another, here are some ups and downs during my time in self-isolation:
The UPS:
• When a box is delivered, and you cannot remember what it could be because you have ordered so much crap over the last 6 weeks.
 Clifford the cat and the kids – in their parents bed. • Clifford the cat – my self-isolation guru.
• When the makers of Candy Crush give the gift of unlimited lives for a whole week!
• Having the time to make homemade hamburger buns and other treats.
• Puzzles – Now that everyone is into doing puzzles, I do not feel like quite as big a nerd.
• No sport on TV = nothing left for my husband and I to fight about.
• Learning a new language while binge watching Money Heist.
• Saying goodbye on Zoom or Houseparty…you just hang up! No more awkward goodbyes at the door.
• Saving money on car insurance because you are no longer driving to work every day.
• Bringing out the patio furniture and setting up the trampoline. It’s starting to feel a little like summer.
• Less laundry…just choose your legging/sweat top combo for the week and you’re good to go.
• The magical hour around 5pm every day when a glass of wine and favourite song provide me with the motivation to dance and cook dinner.
• Discovering a new podcast.
The DOWNS:
• Temperatures in the single digits in April…or worse, snow!
 Results of a parent led art class • The annoying soundtrack of Beatrix’s YouTube videos which have become ambient noise in the house.
• My embarrassingly high score on Candy Crush.
• Where do all the charging cables keep disappearing to?
• Making plans for the summer…
• Google classroom on the iPad: why can’t I just write on the document?
• Sad husband because there is no sport on TV.
• Finding out that schools will remain closed until at least May 31st – SERENITY NOW!
• Doing your tax return – the worst part of being an adult.
• Getting the weekly alert telling me what the average daily screen time was last week…gulp.
• The absurd volume of new passwords to remember for accessing homeschool websites.
• Deciding what PPE to don on the weekly trip to the grocery store – how many times can I reuse this same mask?
• At home haircuts…they’re not everyone’s cup of tea.
• Finding the motivation to do at home workouts and complete assignments for grad school.
• Being interrupted by children asking for TV during a work Zoom call -this was not on the list of pre-approved activities.
• Google Play charging $19.95 to RENT Trolls 2 – how dare they?
• Discarded latex gloves left on the ground: so uncool.
Previous columns:
The idea
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 5
By Pepper Parr
April 27th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
It does sound a little ass-backwards – but they are on the right path.
The hospitality and entertainment sectors are hurting – they are bleeding.
With the weather beginning to look nice the idea of being on a patio in the afternoon when the work is done sounds very inviting.
Team Burlington gets it – not yet – but soon IF you stay home so that they can eventually get back into business.
 The curve is far from flat. The virus that is infecting people is being passed from person to person – not from someone from China. They are calling this initiative their STAY HOME to Get Back to Business campaign – they are encouraging people to support local business by staying home and practicing physical distancing which will ultimately help businesses open their doors sooner.
It isn’t just the hardest hit industries that are feeling the impacts of the global pandemic. Businesses of all sizes and across all industries are experiencing unprecedented challenges, including significant and unforeseen revenue loss, the need to lay off staff, supply chain disruptions, and uncertainty about the future of their business and when they will be able to reopen. Simultaneously, businesses are also facing tremendous pressure to digitize and shift existing business models to include online and contactless pick-up and delivery options.
Team Burlington recognizes these challenges and plans to leverage their audience and networks to help get Burlington businesses open as soon as possible. The STAY HOME(to Get Back to Business) campaign reinforces the message that is consistent with public health officials — the sooner people STAY HOME, the sooner the business community can open their doors and get back to business.
 Brian Dean, Executive Director of Burlington Downtown Business Association “Businesses of all sizes are being impacted by COVID-19″ said Brian Dean, Executive Director of Burlington Downtown Business Association, one of Burlington’s two Business Improvement Areas (the other being Aldershot Village BIA). “We hope this campaign will help Burlington residents understand that their actions and choices during this time have direct consequences on our business community.
We are getting asked a lot about how people can support their local businesses. One of the things you can do is stay home and practice physical distancing as much as possible.”
Craig Kowalchuk, Owner of Emma’s Back Porch and the Water Street Cooker and President of the Burlington Restaurant Association echoed Brian’s sentiment. “Temporarily laying off staff and closing down the restaurant has been one of the most difficult things I’ve had to do in my twenty-eight years of operations.” He went on, “You can help us get back to business by staying home, reduce your trips to the store and minimize contact with others. We can’t wait to welcome you back, for our twenty-ninth summer, but we can’t do that until everyone stays home.”
The STAY HOME campaign will be launched across social media, as well as through window decals displayed in the windows of downtown businesses. A video campaign featuring local business owners from across Burlington will also help spread the message.
Give Team Burlington credit for doing the right thing, the responsible thing. And remember all this when they are able to open their doors again.
The Gazette has put together a team of parents who are at home taking care of their children while the province goes through school closures and the shut down of everything other than essential services.
Ashley Worobec and Nicki St. George will write regularly on how they are coping. We invite parents to take part in this initiative by adding comments to each Coping with COVID19 & the kids article.
 By Ashley Worobec
April 27th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Our mornings have still been a bit more structured and afternoons tend to be more whatever-we-feel-like.
One thing that I’ve found helpful for my Type-A personality, is writing out a list of the next day’s activities/tasks on the whiteboard on our fridge. Mornings almost always begin with a 5k run for myself and my dog, with my husband on the bike beside me, and more often than not, at least one of the kids comes on their bike too.
I haven’t been setting an alarm clock though, and in my “normal” life I’m often up at 4:45 or 5am, and out the door for my runs- these days I’m sleeping until I naturally wake up, which has been closer to 7:30 or 8am!
 Baking is a constant and consistent activity in the Worobec household. I have been thinking about getting up for a sunrise run here and there, as the sunrise is my favourite time of the day, and it would also give me some solitude. I’m an introvert by nature, so I re-charge with alone time, and that’s been much harder to come by lately. Perhaps a sunrise run will happen next week….
After my run, we move onto schoolwork. I’m the one who tends to supervise the kids during their schoolwork, as my husband uses this time to do his own online work with his students (he’s a high school teacher). Depending on the day, this has usually been taking my kids 1-2 hours to complete. My son is in Grade 5 and my daughter is in Grade 2, and they seem to be adapting to e-learning quite well.
Both of their teachers have been exceptional, and have been great at providing a variety of assignments and tasks for them, and I know my kids miss seeing them in person. Both kids have been using FaceTime regularly to “see” their friends, and that’s been a big help to them.
We’re into week 7 now of the clinic closure, and Saskatchewan has announced that chiropractors can return to work (with appropriate PPE in place) on May 4th, so my colleagues and I have been closely watching that situation. It is quite a helpless feeling to have the clinic closed, but my work team is having online meetings twice per week to stay in touch and keep our morale high.
I’m also keeping in touch with some of my patients via virtual or telephone consultations, and that’s been really helpful for me personally, as it’s given me a sense of purpose surrounding my work and a small feeling of being able to help my patients who are in pain. I am anxious to return to work, and hopeful with the trending numbers that Ontario is showing.
One initiative that I have just begun is hosting “Movement You”, which is a 10-minute workout, LIVE online on my Facebook and Instagram pages (search “Dr. Ashley Worobec”)- it’s a way for me to connect with my community and to encourage my patients to stay active and moving, which is something I believe passionately in.
Last Friday was the first time doing this, and it was a wild success, with my kids participating in the workout too. I plan on making this a weekly thing, every Friday at 11:45am, with movements that people can do easily in their living rooms.
A couple of other fun things we did this week:
 Virtual magic show for the relatives in Alberta 1. My kids put on a virtual magic show for our relatives in Alberta. I grew up in Alberta and my extended family is all still out West, so my kids are very used to using online platforms to talk to their grandparents and Aunts and Uncles. They looked up magic tricks on YouTube, practiced them, and then set up a little show. Their cousins and my parents loved it, and they were really proud of themselves.
2. We baked 5 dozen pumpkin chocolate chip muffins and then packaged them up and dropped them off on friend’s porches throughout the City, along with notes of support and encouragement.
3. We did a workout called “Heidi,” in honour of Constable Heidi Stevenson, who was tragically killed in the Nova Scotia shootings. I’m not sure who designed this workout, but this image has been circulating amongst the CrossFit community, and since my husband and I both go to a CrossFit gym, we jumped at this chance.
 A workout called “Heidi,” in honour of Constable Heidi Stevenson It’s common for CrossFit to have “named workouts” based upon First Responder’s killed in the line of duty, and since our gym has loaned us some gym equipment to use at home, we did this workout in our driveway on Saturday afternoon- it’s 23 air squats, 23 pushups, 23 kettlebell swings, 23 jumping lunges, 23 situps, and 23 box jumps, as many rounds as possible for 23 minutes. The number 23 honours the fact that she served with the RCMP for 23 years.
4. We watched the “Stronger Together” Covid-19 broadcast benefit on CTV on Sunday evening, and especially loved the montage of “Lean On Me” at the end.
~
 By Staff
April 25th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Getting into spring and thinking about summer is going to be harder this year than it was last.
 No camping in provincial parks – Maybe in June? The province announced on Friday that the government is extending the closure of Ontario’s provincial parks and conservation reserves to May 31, 2020.
This includes car camping, backcountry camping, roofed accommodations, day use opportunities, access points and all public buildings.
Provincial parks and conservation reserves will continue to remain fully closed to all recreational activities.
Reservations for arrivals up to, and including, any further closure extension date will be automatically cancelled and reservation holders will receive a full refund with no penalty. We are also providing penalty-free refunds to reservation holders who wish to change or cancel their 2020 camping reservation, regardless of arrival date.
This is part of the drive to keep us apart and not have groups of more than five people congregating in one place.
 This is the infection curve for Halton – it hasn’t begun to flatten yet. That curve of COVID-19 infections is not flat enough – this kind of direction is going to be necessary until the number of infections stop increasing.
The virus that is now loose in the community is being passed from person to person – we know that. What we don’t know is who has it and who are they passing it to.
By Staff
April 23rd, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Austin Horton, a Grade 9 student from Georgetown District High School, is using his personal 3D printer to make dozens of personal protective equipment (PPE) to help medical professionals stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
When Austin read about the need for PPE on social media in early April, he didn’t hesitate to fire up his 3D printer at home to start making plastic face shields.
 Grade 9 student Austin Horton saw a need for Face Shields – went into production and has delivered 80 so far. “I found the design online and slightly adjusted it for my printer,” he said. “It feels good to be doing this. I’ll keep doing this for as long as we have materials and it’s necessary.”
He has printed 80 shields so far. Each one takes about an hour and he prints around a half dozen a day. Austin leaves the PPE in a sealed bag at the front of his home and it is picked up by St. John Ambulance twice a week. He says the shields are being distributed to non-hospital medical professionals.
Michael Gallant, Principal at Georgetown District High School, said Austin’s PPE effort brings important hope to the local community.
“Like the residents of Georgetown, GDHS students and staff look for ways to support and improve their community and are committed to the success of all,” he said. “It is this dedication to the welfare of others that makes Georgetown such a special place. Find a way to do something that helps others and you will spread the hope and positivity that will get us through this challenge.”
Austin’s parents Krista and Shaun are very proud of their son’s effort to help people during these challenging times.
“Austin has always been very generous with his 3D printer,” Shaun said, noting he has made items to sell to fundraise for charities. “When it comes to helping others, he is always willing to assist wherever he can.”
“As soon as he was advised of the call for help, Austin offered to help immediately,” Krista said. “We thank (frontline workers) for taking time away from their family and friends to care for those who are not well and unable to have their families with them.”
Tim Bauer, Executive Director of St. John Ambulance, Halton-Hamilton Region, is grateful for Austin’s effort to help.
“The incredible work (Austin) is doing will go a long way toward ensuring public safety in this time of crisis,” Bauer said. “St. John Ambulance sincerely thanks him for understanding the need for PPE and for choosing to make an impact in the Halton community during a time of such great need in the battle against COVID-19.”
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