 By Staff
April 23rd, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 The Burlington Foundation today announced the first round of charities that will receive $163,500 from the Covid-19 Pandemic Response Fund since the Foundation announced the fund on March 31; 17 grants were announced.
Through the generosity of donors, the Pandemic Response Fund has grown to over $400,000 to support both community-based response efforts through two phases of granting, and a third phase that will assist charities in their recovery efforts recognizing that this pandemic will have long-term implications for the non-profit sector.
“The Covid-19 Pandemic Fund is designed to be a rapid response solution to the immediate and ongoing challenges facing our front-line charities as they struggle to meet the growing demand of community members impacted by Covid-19,” says Colleen Mulholland, President and CEO of Burlington Foundation.
 Colleen Mulholland, President and CEO of Burlington Foundation. The first phase of grantees provides a range of much-needed supports to high need, vulnerable people and families including those experiencing food insecurity; isolated seniors; community members with disability or mental health challenges; medical assistance; and safe housing. Second phase of granting will open on May 1.
“We are humbled by the care these front-line charities are providing to our friends and neighbours in great need during these unprecedented times. We are also honoured to partner with our fundholders and donors who are sending a loud caring message that we are all in this together,” Mulholland says.
Here are just a few of the grants being distributed to front-line charities:
 • $10,000 to Burlington Food Bank & Open Doors of St. Christopher’s to purchase fresh food and staples for over 135 households increasing at a rate of 20% per month
• $10,000 to Compassion Society of Halton to acquire non-perishable food and hygiene supplies to help support over 1,200 clients a month and increasing
• $10,000 to ROCK (Reach Out Centre for Kids) to adapt virtual therapy programming to support
over 300 clients with need escalating
• $10,000 to YMCA to adapt seniors’ programming to virtual platforms addressing isolation issues for nearly 900 Burlington seniors
• $15,000 to Halton Women’s Place to provide safe housing and healthy meals for 3 families
• $15,000 to Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation to aid in the purchase of PPE, equipment and
related supplies as the hospital continues to battle Covid-19
The complete list of awarded grants is HERE.
Providing these critical emergency grants in this time of tremendous need would not be possible without the kindness of donors. Our heartfelt thank you to our many donors including: The Paletta Family, Pioneer Energy, Randy and Denise Reeve Family Fund, Milne Family Foundation Fund, Pieczonka Family Foundation Fund, LKH Spirit Fund, BDO Burlington Community Fund, Dalton Timmis Group Fund and several community donors.
To learn more about the Foundation’s Covid-19 Pandemic Response Fund, and how to support your community through a donation, please visit the Foundation web site.
 By Staff
April 22nd, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Food Banks are now serving the needs of a much different demographic. Robin Bailey, Chief Cheese at the Food Bank, is shouting out a big thanks to the people who are helping get hampers of food to people who for a number of reasons aren’t able to get out of the house to shop for themselves.
The number of people who need support means needing more food, which we are fortunate enough to have – the amount coming in to meet this new demand needed a place to be stored –Access Storage donated space and is even managing the delivery for us as volunteers themselves. It was perfect timing too with the Feed Ontario support coming in this week.
We had a few clients let us know in advance that they have been diagnosed with or are potential cases for the COVID-19 virus. We let our volunteer drivers know that there is that potential for certain homes and allow them to opt-out of doing the delivery if they don’t feel comfortable.
What we do is drop off food at the door (and we don’t knock) then the driver goes back to their car and phones the client to let them know it is ready at their door and then they come out to get the food – that way there is absolutely no contact. Please let your friends and neighbours know that we are here for them and ask them to reach out to us. Deliveries are up but we are prepared.
If you are in need or know of someone who could use our help have them email us at info@burlingtonfoodbank.ca or call 905-637-2273 to make arrangements to have food dropped at the door. If you live in Burlington, we are here to help.
Robin is a member of the Mayor’s Task Force. “They met last night via Zoom” said Bailey, ” it took hours – so much to deal with right now. We really have a good group on the board that want to do everything they can for the community; nice to see such wonderful people working so hard together but apart.”
Visual update
Donations are the lifeblood of the Food Bank – keep them in mind.
 By Staff
April 22nd, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Somewhere in Germany – food is put in a plastic bag and left for people who need it.
Simple, almost elegant.
 If you tried that in Burlington – it would probably be a bylaw infraction or Legal would find a way to say – that it can’t be done.
Nice idea though – eh! Makes you feel good
Weekend Indoors: How Burlington Residents Can Create a Stylish Night Out from the Comfort of Home and get caught up on some entertainment and political gossip.
 By Claire Nash
April 21st, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Another weekend – during which you will be home-bound.
It doesn’t have to be a grim weekend.The weekend is almost here. It may not yet be time to get out for a walk in a park – but you can get creative and spend home time doing fun things.
Check out these three innovative ideas for creating a night out on the town right at home, so you get the best of all worlds over the weekend.
 Think creatively when you set up a bar. Turn Your Kitchen into a Cocktail Lounge
Hesitant to hit the bar? You can create your own state-of-the-art cocktail lounge right at home. Start by gathering up the essential home bar ingredients, making sure to grab any flavors and mixers you can’t live without. You don’t want to get stuck with a boring combination, so plan your purchases ahead of time to suit your tastes. Likewise, pick up some tried-and-true cocktail snacks to munch on like cornichons, mixed nuts, or candied fruit.
Once you’ve gathered all your necessities, break out your most lavish cocktail glasses to give your drinks some flair. This is important, as it means the difference between creating a cocktail lounge atmosphere and settling for a kitchen counter vibe. After that, simply don your fanciest garb and get to mixing. You’ll have to be your own bartender, but you’ll be able to rest easy knowing that your drinks will come exactly the way you like them.
Host a Casino Night on the Couch
Missing the casino? A night at your favorite venue can be a thrilling way to pass the time on the weekend. Of course, you don’t have to head outside to get your game on. Thanks to Canada’s friendly iGaming laws and a plethora of web-based venues, it’s easy and safe to create a casino night right at home. Online casino providers like Unibet offer the full gambit of games and sports betting options to choose from, so you’ll find something to fit your preferences no matter what you like to play.
Create a Movie Theater Cinema at Home
You can’t drive downtown to CineStarz Theater? But you can create a home cinema experience that’s worth staying in for. However, you should keep a few tips in mind to get the optimal experience.
In need of some cinema entertainment? There’s no reason to pay big bucks for the theater when you can have your movie night at home
 Make it personal – give your theatre a name. Set the scene by rearranging your furniture. You can organize everything to have a bit more space around the coffee table for snacks, or you can create classic movie rows for your audience. Either way, make sure the screen is viewable from every seat in the house.
It’s also a great idea to put out some classic cinema treats for your fellow moviegoers to enjoy. Popcorn is a tried-and-true munchie that gets everyone in the mood, but you can go all-out with nachos, extra-large iced sodas, or anything you like. Food is a major aspect of the movie theater experience, so pick your refreshments wisely.
Ready to have the perfect night out indoors? If you’re willing to put in a bit of effort, you’ll be able to create that perfect cocktail lounge, casino, or movie theater experience without leaving the living room. All you need is a bit of imagination, and you’ll be on the road to home-based bliss in no time flat.
 By Nicki St George
April 21st, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Nicki St George is part of a Team that details how their weeks goes as parents do their best to cope with the Corono virus and take on the task of educating their kids. Nicki has two children; a nine year old boy and a six year old girl. Husband Dan is working from the house – office in the basement. Nicki has completed her chemo therapy and is happy with her cancer recovery.
 Daughter – a work in progress. WEEK 5
MONDAY, April 13
Bea storms out over a disagreement about Candy Land. She says she is going to find a new home. I suggest that she pack a bag. Leo watches from the window. It’s so windy that her umbrella blows inside out. We laugh until she comes back inside and then feign concern. She is a character. She comes back inside to tell me that from now on she is going to live in the car except for meals. She will take her iPhone, but she promises not to use it until the scheduled time (3:30pm). I point out that the Wi-Fi is crap in the driveway, so she relents and has her iPhone time inside the house. Tomorrow, when Dan takes the car to the grocery store, she will ask why dad is driving away with her new home.
TUESDAY, April 14
This week I have resolved to go for peaceful walks by myself every morning when I wake up for sanity’s sake. This will last two days. I miss going for walks with my friends; it’s boring all by myself. In the afternoon, the kids insist on going for a bike ride, which I’m opposed to because it is so cold. On our ride I pass some friends of my parents and stop to say hi. Leo warns me against talking too long, in case we get a ticket like that lady whose friends drove by her house to wish her a happy birthday.
 Out at the grandparents farm where there is acres of space to run and roam WEDNESDAY, April 15
On our weekly pilgrimage to my parents’ property we listen to a podcast about Weird Al Yankovic’s appeal (I’m actually quite curious about this). My parents are having some trees cut down from their property, so we stand in the brisk, April wind and watch the men take down a tree. This is the most exciting thing that will happen to us all week. The kids nearly miss it because they are wrestling on the ground.
Every mum I talk to is tearing their hair out today. I empathize. I often wonder if Bea has been sent to test me. Our conversations go something like this:
Bea – so is the answer 3
Me – no, it’s 4
Bea – That’s what I said! Whines and storms out of the room.
THURSDAY, April 16
Dan and I finish watching Unorthodox on Netflix. I am envious of how long that girl’s hair is. (In case you haven’t seen it, it is a very short pixie cut.) Every day and I check the progress of my hair regrowth. I examine my pathetic eyelashes and eyebrow hairs which I can count individually. Then I draw on a new pair. I am tired of looking like a sick person. Bea sees me doing this and now she does her eyebrows every day too. I do really love that kid. I have my appointment at the hospital today and when I get home, I cannot be bothered to do any schoolwork with the kids. We spend the day doing a puzzle and playing Mario Kart.
 Nine now. FRIDAY, April 17
We listen to the Kidsnuz podcast and today they announce Leo’s birthday (all the way from Burlington, Ontario!). His excitement at hearing his name through my iPhone brightens my day. At 6pm, Dan emerges from his work cocoon and makes delicious homemade pizza. I prepare a foot bath and give Bea a full nail salon experience including a face mask. She is in heaven.
SATURDAY, April 18
Today is Leo’s 9th birthday. Instead of the new bike and new bed that he had been promised, we get him a couple of games for his Nintendo Switch and a few t-shirts with witty captions. He spends the day playing Roblox while on messenger with his friends. At around 1pm, a few of his friends (and their parents who are our friends) stop by and we all try to catch up while keeping our distance on our front lawn.
Leo approaches me and tells me that the closeness is making him uncomfortable and he is worried that we will get fined. Seriously where did this child come from? I sometimes forget that Leo has inherited Dan’s sensibility, but I’m grateful for it in this moment, because he is right. I politely ask everyone to get back in their cars and we slowly disperse the crowd. I think we were all so starved for some socialization and Leo’s birthday provided the perfect window to have some face to face contact.
After everyone leaves, Leo opens the gifts they brought – cupcakes, seafood, homemade cards and pictures, and some gift cards. We are all touched by the effort everyone has gone to, considering the circumstances. Later we make his meal of choice and a chocolate pavlova for dessert which we serve up over Houseparty with my extended family. Leo hasn’t complained once about his COVID19 birthday and I feel very proud of him.
SUNDAY, April 19
 The cat just seems to go with the flow. I pet the cat, do some of my puzzle, read something, knit, repeat. This is how I spend the day. I am feeling bored and restless. I want this period of social distancing to be over. I would settle for just knowing when it will be over. My newsfeed is depressing -a mass shooting in NS and idiots protesting social distancing measures in Michigan.
Bea’s behaviour has become intolerable and I refuse to live under her regime any longer. Everything is a battle with her, including the basics such as getting her to wash her hands. Dan and I decide to enact Marshall law which involves no treats, no smiles and no iPhone until there are three consecutive days of good behaviour. She is receptive so far and we have a pretty good day with Dan enlisting her help doing yard work. I guess fixing Bea will be my project for the upcoming week. She’s still a work in progress, but I guess we all are…
By Pepper Parr
April 20, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The City has put out an update on what it expects of its citizens.
The parks are closed and are going to remain closed.
City staff are focused on delivering essential services.
With the arrival of warmer weather, residents will start to see City of Burlington staff begin spring maintenance work in City parks and roads:
 Expect to see equipment like this on the streets • Street sweeping has begun on arterial roads and crosswalks with residential roads scheduled to begin mid-May
• Park and roadside litter clean up where needed prior to grass cutting
• Grass cutting will begin but will not include the usual trimming around trees and other objects
• Repair work for grass that has been damaged by sidewalk snow plows will begin the week of April 27with a contractor visiting the sites to fill areas with soil and grass seed
 City wants to keep pedestrian traffic to a minimum. Staff are only doing essential work to maintain City parks, facilities and assets until further notice. Wood chips at the Operations Centre on Harvester Road are not available for pick up during the pandemic and community gardens will remain closed as they have been deemed non-essential by the Provincial government. The City has delayed Community Garden openings until further notice.
To help keep everyone safe during the provincial emergency order, Spencer Smith Park is only available for walk-in traffic. The parking lots are closed and only walking is permitted in Spencer Smith Park, including the Promenade and the Brant Street Pier.
Visitors must keep a two-metre distance from other walkers. No other activities are permitted until further notice: no running, no rollerblading and no biking through Spencer Smith Park. This is to reduce the volume of people in Spencer Smith Park and to help walkers maintain physical distancing.
Physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most important steps everyone needs to take. The COVID-19 virus doesn’t move on its own; it needs people to move it.
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
• Carry out your garbage whenever possible
Respect the caution tape and keep off playgrounds, sports fields, skateboard areas, tennis and basketball courts. The City has signage and barricades in the entrances of parking lots to block vehicles from parking. Vehicles left in parking lots will be towed at the owner’s expense.
Residents who see groups of five or more people gathering or individuals using outdoor recreational facilities can call the Halton Regional Police Service COVID hotline to file a report at 905-825-4722.
Local enforceable orders include:
• Closure of places of non-essential businesses
• Prohibiting events and gatherings of more than five people
• Closure of public places and establishments
• Closure of all outdoor recreational amenities and parks
Burlington Transit
As an essential service, Burlington Transit continues to operate on a modified schedule for essential trips only. Essential trips include going to medical appointments and picking up medication or groceries. Extra buses will be added if needed to help protect drivers and allow passengers to practice physical distancing from other riders. Please use the back doors to enter and exit the bus, keep behind the marked area and follow the recommendations of public health professionals. For more information on Burlington Transit, visit www.burlingtontransit.ca
 Not much work for the parking control people. Parking
Parking enforcement is currently limited to safety-related issues such as fire routes, accessible parking, no parking/stopping areas and blocked areas, including parking lots at Spencer Smith Park, Lowville Park and all other City parks. Time limit restrictions have been relaxed to help those working from home or self-isolating. Parking permits and exemptions are not required until further notice. For more information on parking, visit www.burlington.ca/parking.
Service Burlington
Customer Service staff are available by phone and email for residents’ questions. Online forms can also be submitted via our website. Only in-person services, such as marriage licences, are not available during the pandemic.
 Not going to tie that know this month – maybe not in June either. The City of Burlington is not issuing marriage licences while City Hall is closed. Residents needing a marriage licence can call Service Burlington two weeks before their intended marriage date and if City Hall has re-opened, will be accommodated as close to their wedding date as possible.
Municipalities issue marriage licenses on behalf of the Province of Ontario. Current legislation requires original signatures and documentation. City staff have asked the Province to review this legislation and make some interim amendments to allow for electronic signatures and documentation. Staff is also asking the Province to extend the licenses that were issued prior to the COVID-19 shutdown beyond the normal 90-day expiry dates.
In-Home Activities
The best thing residents can do to protect themselves and the community, is stay home. The City of Burlington and its partners have put together a list of activities people of any age can do while staying home at burlington.ca/programming. The list includes:
• Virtual fitness
• Free music
• Ebooks, emagazines and online resources from Burlington Public Library at bpl.on.ca
• Videos for recreation programming such as games, activities and crafts.
 Mayor Marianne Meed Ward cautions people. “As the weather gets warmer we know it will be harder to follow the provincial emergency orders, and the directives from Burlington City Hall. But we must continue to stay apart, and stay in our own neighbourhoods, so we can get through this sooner. Please resist the urge to congregate in groups, stay 6 ft. away from anyone you don’t live with and please stay in your own neighbourhood and local parks for your walks.
“Walk, don’t stop, and stay off playgrounds, benches and other park amenities. In particular, please do not come downtown to the waterfront where there has been some crowding in Spencer Smith Park and Beachway Park. We have taken extra measures to restrict the use of these areas.
“We know how difficult this has been so far for our residents, but it will only get more difficult the longer we have to keep these directives in effect. The longer we stay apart now, the sooner we can safely come together.”
By Staff
April 20, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Paletta family announced a donation of $500,000 to support pandemic relief efforts that is to be split equally between Hamilton and Burlington.
 This major donation is intended to address the needs of vulnerable people and families including those experiencing homelessness and poverty, isolated seniors, people with disabilities and other marginalized communities.
It is the largest donation yet to the fund and will also support agencies to adapt their services or operations as needed, as a result of COVID-19.
“Though each of us is affected by the current crisis, the impact is far greater on some citizens than on others. We wanted to make a difference for those who are already in difficult circumstances,” says family spokesperson Paul Paletta. “We feel blessed to be able to help in this unprecedented situation.”
“This donation is just one of many examples in the Paletta’s long history of philanthropy and community leadership, of stepping up whenever and wherever they can and inspiring others to do the same. Their remarkable gift will help reduce uncertainty for our city’s most vulnerable at this critical time and in the months ahead.”
 In Burlington, the Paletta family’s donation will support Burlington Foundation’s Covid-19 Response Fund which prioritizes food security, medical assistance, mental health and safe housing.
“In this overwhelming time, remarkable generosity like the Paletta’s offers hope and inspiration,” says Colleen Mulholland, President and CEO of Burlington Foundation. “As the number of vulnerable community members needing help grows, their gift will have meaningful impact.
“It’s a challenging time for everyone but it’s also heartening to see people contributing in their unique ways,” says Paul Paletta. “We encourage everyone to step up in whatever way they can because we can only get through this pandemic together.”
By Pepper Parr
April 20th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Everyone knows who the St. John Ambulance organization is – they are the people who give the First Aid course – or is that the Red Cross?
During this time of physical distancing, their Therapy Dogs of course cannot provide their usual canine comfort and care by visiting in person. However, they can still help break the sense of isolation and show the people we service how much we care, through ‘virtual visits’.
 Therapy dogs make the days of people who are in a long term care home when they visit. In mid-March, they set up a St. John Ambulance Digital Therapy Dogs YouTube channel and invited our volunteers to submit video ‘letters’ about their dog. This was a chance to show the activities the dogs like to do when not being a Therapy Dog, as well as express how much we miss the people we’d normally visit.
The response had been tremendous, with over a hundred videos already uploaded, with more to come. We sent the word out to facility recreation program staff, and they’ve been loving the videos very much! They play them on a large screen in some cases, or help residents watch them on a tablet or computer.
Some of our teams have also sent regular newsletters that are printed and shared, while others send their video directly to the home they visit, in addition to uploading it on the YouTube channel. The diversity of the ‘virtual visits’ is part of the magic – you can take a sunny walk with Buddy and Charlie at the beach, watch Harvey unroll his yoga mat, see Bailey play with Piper, laugh while Ken battles Victoria for the ball, and be smitten by Finn as he shares his talent for fashion.
Discover your favourite Therapy Dog by visiting the YouTube Channel CLICK HERE
With almost 2000 therapy dog teams in Ontario, serving over 3100 facilities across the Province the Therapy Dog Program reaches out to thousands of people on a daily basis, bringing comfort, joy and companionship to those who are sick, lonely and residing in full-time care facilities. Clients reap the therapeutic benefits of the unconditional love of these four-legged friends.
 Kids who need some distraction cab be taken away from their problems by playing with a therapy dog. “St. John Ambulance Therapy Dogs offer assistance in programs for youth at risk, and help build self-esteem for those in correctional facilities. They can provide relief and a welcomed distraction to those waiting for radiation or chemotherapy treatment, and very sick children being treated in hospitals, as well as to people who are displaced and frightened during an emergency evacuation.
“And there is no doubt that people find it easier to express their deepest emotions and put into words their hopes and fears while hugging a dog, so we find our teams working with the Military, Police and Fire Departments, social workers, psychologist and psychiatrists to help victims of critical incident stress, crime, tragedy and abuse, overcome their challenges.”
 At almost every major public event – there is a St. John Ambulance on standby. St. John Ambulance offers a free on-line First Aid Awareness course to all Ontarians. In times of social distancing, accidents and injuries can still happen in the home or at the cottage. Right now, St. John Ambulance offers a free on-line course entitled: First Aid Awareness.
Their aim is to keep First Aid knowledge fresh in the minds of those who cannot take part in classroom training. Knowing what to do in an emergency can save someone’s life, and often, that life is someone you know and love.
By Staff
April 20th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Longo supermarket people are said to be surveying their customers to determine if they are comfortable with store staff wearing masks and if customers would please in future wear a mask while in the supermarket.
The use of masks seems to be mixed – many people do wear them. Some are very elaborate while others are the “made at home” version which is just fine.
 They are becoming fashion statements. Any day now we can expect facial masks to become fashion statements.
Are masks necessary? There are arguments on both sides of wearing them on the street and in the office.
Better to be safe than sorry is one argument we hear – the other is that they are only needed in medical situations or where you are working closely with people.
 In Hong King face masks have become political statements. It wasn’t long ago when we saw tens of thousands of people on the streets of Hong King demonstrating. Many wore the masks to keep the tear gas out of their eyes – while others wore them in social setting as a political statement.
Mask are clearly a symbol of these times – and there must be a demand for them. Difficult to find any in the stores – hundreds of women in the city are making masks and handing them out.
 Expect to see pictures like this on Christmas cards this year.
By Pepper Parr
April 20th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
There is a group in one of the downtown condos on Lakeshore Road who gather up the wine bottles and beer cans in the condo recycle room and regularly drop them off at the Beer Store. The money they get is a fund raiser for various Social Committee functions and events.
With the Beer Stores no longer taking in empties regularly the cans and bottles were beginning to become quite a pile.
 A resident tells us that it was his wife’s turn to take the bottles and cans in; having checked on line she learned that the only Beer Store accepting returns was the one at Upper Middle Road and Appleby Line.
After dropping off two SUVs worth of returns (This isn’t that big a condo – impressive number of cans and bottles, but I digress.), the wife came home with an interesting story.
The Beer Store had two staff disinfecting carts outside and staff inside spraying the bins.
There were two areas to line up outside – one for those purchasing and one for those returning.
 As well, there was an ability to simply drop off returns as a donation to the Joseph Brant Hospital. This helped to cut down on social distancing and the line up! Brilliant!
“Kudos to the staff at this store on Sunday April 19th at 3 pm as they were friendly, efficient and helpful – my wife managed to break two bottles in the parking lot which they quickly came out to cleaned up.
“What started out as a daunting task – there was a four week supply to return – and usually a “ho hum” journey turned out to be actually enjoyable.
“Recycling (i.e. climate change) + Potential charity + friendly Public Service seems to me to be a win-win-win”, reports a condo resident.
 By Staff
April 16th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
At a time when parents are looking for ideas and small projects to keep their children active Burlington Green has put forward a neat idea – Put your Waste to Work.
They want to Up-Cycle cartons into bird feeders to help attract pollinators and encourage biodiversity right in your backyard.
 Burlington Green will demonstrate how to create bird feeders from old juice or milk cartons on Facebook Live. This event is suitable for ages 8+.
When: Thursday, April 16th at 2:00 pm via Facebook Live. To watch, follow the event live on the Burlington Green Facebook page.
Please register for this event here.
Missed the event? Not to worry! You can view the video on our Facebook page following the event.
 By Nicki St George
April 13, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Nicki St. George is part of a team of parents who are reporting each week on how they are coping with the COVID19 virus and having the children at home.
Monday, April 6
Every morning, for the sake of my sanity, I write up a schedule on the whiteboard easel that resides in our living space. It looks something like this:
9-9:30 – get dressed, brush teeth, make bed and pull curtains
9:30-10:30 – schoolwork
10:30-11:15 – outdoor time (If you call it recess then the kids will automatically go outside and don’t question it.)
11:15-12:15 – creative time (this might be just watching a drawing tutorial on YouTube and following along, lego, play doh, etc.) or baking or something science-y.
12:30-1 – lunch (we listen to the Kidsnuz podcast while we eat)
1-2 – Reading and Dreambox math
3-4 – a walk or bike ride (weather dependent)
4 – 6 – ipad time/social time and a snack
This may seem intense; however, it keeps the requests for devices down to a minimum and I really only have to plan one thing for the day (during the creative time). My afternoons often get pretty loose and I have resorted to ‘educational TV’ as another option on occasion. I highly recommend Brain Child on Netflix! Next week I will tweak the schedule and think of something new for us to do.
 Bea – all set for the next creation. Tuesday, April 7
I find the work on google classroom from each of my kids’ teachers easy enough to follow. I am happy to have this work as it takes a lot of pressure having to come up with my own educational activities. Today, however, Bea is completely uninterested in doing the assigned work. Instead she has decided to create her own version of Mo Willem’s “Don’t let the Pigeon Drive the Bus” and since she is completely engrossed in this project, I decide to let the school stuff go. In the afternoon, I take some bean seeds that were left on the vine and we put them into glass jars with wet paper towel so that we can watch as they germinate. We also plant some cat grass seed in an old plastic container for Clifford (our cat).
Wednesday, April 8
Today I am feeling the need to get out of the house. After providing tech support for another mum friend who is trying to navigate google classroom, we go for a drive to one of Bea’s friends’ houses. I exchange some bean seeds for a printed-out workbook for Bea. We stand far apart on the lawn and Bea says hi to her friend and her sisters. Leo asks if we can visit his friends. So, we drive around some more and find two sets of friends playing out on their front lawns. We try maintaining the required social distance from our friends, but this is sometimes challenging as the younger siblings ignore the 2-meter rule. We keep these visits short, but it is nice to see some friendly faces. Is this against the rules? On the way home, I pull into the empty parking lot at Mapleview Mall. Bea sits on my lap and steers the car around the lampposts. Leo protests in the back seat – he is a rule follower, unlike his mother.
Thursday, April 9
We do our weekly drive up to my parents’ farm in Campbellville. I am grateful for the large 45-acre section, with trails maintained by my dad, which allows for us to have long, isolated nature walks. Bea wants to hold Nana’s hand, but we keep our distance. This week my mum has given the kids a checklist of things to find. Everything is changing week by week. This week we spot a patch of yellow daffodils. I pick some to take home and this is enough to brighten up my day.
 Leo – did he get soaked? Friday, April 10
A teacher friend of mine posts something on Facebook that makes me realize that I am not in fact homeschooling my kids. I am not creating the content or lessons myself; I am simply administering the work and making sure that they are completing their assignments. I learn a lot about my kids and their learning styles this week. I see how easily distracted my son becomes whenever I start working with Bea. I now understand why so much of his work comes home incomplete. I also notice that Leo has excellent manners and he thanks his teacher for each assignment. Bea learns her 3D shapes this week and, in the evening, she pretends to be the teacher and teaches us all about the shapes.
Saturday, April 11
Lows for the week: Very little exercise done; my husband working so hard to meet a deadline and only emerges to read Bea a bedtime story most days; my first trip to the grocery store since the full impact of social distancing has taken effect.
Highs for the week: Leo requesting new favourite songs from the COVID-19 Spotify playlist, such as Toxic and Don’t Stand So Close to Me (a welcome departure from his usual Weird Al songs); making decoupage Easter eggs for our window with the kids, using our new firepit to make s’mores (before the new bylaw against open fires comes into effect).
Sunday, April 12
8pm (the night before): Bea writes a note to the Easter Bunny asking them to use hand sanitizer before entering our house.
4am: Bea comes into the bed and asks if she can begin the Easter egg hunt.
5am: I order Bea to go into her room and shut the door and not to emerge until it reads 6am on her fitbit watch.
5:10am: Bea calls from her bedroom, “there’s a mouse in my room.” This is not unusual for our house. I call back, “is it alive or dead?” It is alive…barely. Probably Clifford’s handiwork. A typical male, he never finishes the job he starts.
 5:15am: Bea enters my room with the mouse in a box and tells us that it is her new pet. Dan quickly ushers her outside and gets rid of her new pet.
9am: Dan and I wake up having missed the excitement of the Easter egg hunt (for the second year in a row). Bea has eaten her body weight in chocolate and will later get herself a bowl from the kitchen to carry around with her from room to room in case she needs to throw up.
9:05am: I make us coffees (with Baileys) and scrounge around the house for the unfound eggs.
Related news stories:
The idea
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
By Robin Bailey
April 13th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
If you are in need or know of someone who could use our help have them email us at info@burlingtonfoodbank.ca or call 905-637-2273 to make arrangements to have food dropped at the door. If you live in Burlington, we are here to help.
 Diane Gris – the woman who manages the volunteers – keeps an eye on things while doing an interview. Robin Bailey reports that: “Diane Gris was in this morning organizing our the volunteers as we prepare for the week ahead.
“Our doors are closed today however several volunteers are working in order to prepare for Tuesday.
“It’s a much-needed chance to regroup; Volunteers are busy going through the stock we have in house and doing some organization.
 Jane Newton – all-star volunteer with more than 100 hours logged – so far. “Jane Newton started going through the personal hygiene, cosmetics and toiletry inventory. Jane is one of our hall of fame volunteers having donated over 100 hours already. Having a long-weekend doesn’t mean the same thing as it used to but for our Food Bank it means we can relax a bit more and prepare.
“Diane mentions that it’s been three weeks since we implemented the delivery at home model and we had hoped to transition completely to delivery by now. I guess this week will tell how successful we’ve been doing that. We can’t thank our volunteers enough.
You can follow just what it is the volunteers do at the Food Bank. Latest Today’s update —
By Staff
April 7th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
It is a 20-year tradition – the Annual Plant Sale at St. Matthews United Church on Plains Road.
They are not about to let a pandemic shut them down.
The event has been re-branded and is now a “Drive-through Plant Sale”
As usual, they will take Pre-orders now, paid for and picked up the first part of May, when the orders will be brought out and put in the trunks for people as they drive up. “Our way of living may have changed, but people will need to be in their gardens by that time for therapy and we at St. Matthews are adaptable. However, due to maintaining distance, this year there won’t be any sales on the day of pickup. You place your order, pay in advance and pick them up” advised Connie Price.
If you don’t have a computer or on-line access drop off your order, with a cheque please, at the Church’s outside Mail-box on dates as shown on the flyer.
Deadline for Orders is April 12th.
The response to the Pre-paid Drive-through hands off Pick-up method has been very positive.
Thank you for sharing or ordering for yourself and stay safe.
By Nicki St George
April 7th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Nicki St George is the mother of two, Leo 11 and Bea 8. She is a teacher at a private school in Oakville and in the final stages of chemotherapy. Nicki is part of a team of parents who write about their having the children at home experience
Saturday, March 28
It is a relief to have my husband back in the mix instead of being sequestered in his makeshift basement office. Bea does her dance class over Zoom. I am so impressed with how well the teacher has adapted to this new delivery method. Later, we organize a fashion show with two of my friends and their daughters over Houseparty.
I play music in the background and we all disappear to our rooms and emerge in our finery. I rock my mermaid sequin frock – any excuse to dig that beauty out! I read an article in the Atlantic about how pandemics are bad news for feminists – I reflect on the number of conversations I have had with my female friends about the current shortage of flour and yeast.
I have my first post-chemo alcoholic drink in four months. A quarantini.
Sunday, March 29
Since I have both yeast and flour, I decide to try making cinnamon buns. I keep promising the kids and then putting it off. They turn out okay. We go for a family bike ride after our weekly Houseparty get together with the grandparents and aunts and uncles. Bea masters getting herself started on the bike. This is a game changer!
Monday, March 30
 What to watch for while we are on our travels. I like Mondays. It is a great day to start fresh and set some good intentions and goals. This week our goal (that I set) is for me and the kids to get 10,000 steps every day. I make something called phyto broth which uses up all of the vegetable scraps that I’ve been saving for the last two weeks and creates a super vitamin packed broth. I take the kids to visit the grounds of my private school so that we can walk around the large lake-side property. We collect rocks by the shore and later spend time painting them. Leo likes his rocks too much to leave them anywhere for someone to find.
Tuesday, March 31
Eager to get our steps for the day and aware that Bea is not at her best (understatement) when walking around our neighbourhood, I devise a strategy to make it more fun. I give each kid a list of different items or animals to look for as we do our walk and take a tally. It is a roaring success until Leo gets fed up and crumbles his paper up. He is disappointed that Bea can count trucks as cars while he cannot include our local arena as a brick house. Most of the walk is spent with me encouraging the kids to keep going and to not give up. Leo is in a funk today. I give him some space and do my best to cheer him up. Neither of my kids have explicitly expressed unhappiness about the social distancing but I know it is taking its toll. Bea often uses the phrase, “when the virus is over…”
 The joke was supposed to be on my husband. Wednesday, April 1st
The kids are eager to see Dan succumb to our April fool’s joke which consists of loading up the laundry hamper with all the weights in the house and then asking him to take it downstairs to the laundry room. I send him an image I created on a fake headline website which says that Doug Ford is closing all the golf courses until September (scary because this actually might happen).
Thursday, April 2nd
 Chickadees follow us and land on our hands even though we have no seeds to feed them. We spend a lot of time outdoors today. My mood is much better when the sun is shining. I work hard clearing all the leaves out of the front garden. I find us a nature trail for our walk and chickadees follow us and land on our hands even though we have no seeds to feed them. I have been keeping off social media and the 24-hour news cycle lately. Instead we listen to Kidsnuz podcast and watch education TV shows during our downtime. I binge watch Friends in the evening. I find the banter on the show comforting.
Friday, April 3rd
 Why do I have to conform to this 5-day work week paradigm? I am in a funk today. I will not get all my steps today and I don’t even care. I have no desire to plan anything. The past three weeks of programming every activity for our family has caught up to me. I wonder how long this period of self-isolation will last. All I want to do is drink coffee, watch TV and do my puzzle. I mean why do I have to conform to this 5-day work week paradigm?
Today is my rest day. I let the kids have as much screen time as they want. I fight off the feelings of guilt. So many people have it much worse than me. I really have nothing to complain about. Think about the people on the front line risking their lives to fight this virus. I try to convince myself this newfound misery is the side-effect of the new cancer drug I started taking this week and it to some degree, it probably is.
I have no energy for daily phone call to my mum. I tell myself that tomorrow is a new day, but I know that this is more than a single day funk and that Dan will have to take over as ‘camp leader’ tomorrow. I make raw cookie dough and eat it after the kids go to bed. More guilt.
Related news stories:
The idea
Week 1
Week 2
By Staff
March 30th, 2020
BURLINGTON,ON
A light voice on a difficult day.
The hospital announcing that a 93 bed unit is being built for the expected COVID-19 patients; the Prime Minister warning corporations not to try and game the system.
 The Koogle Theatre Group put a bunch of their students before the cameras – and well here is the result.
We needed something to brighten the day
 By Ashley Worobec
March 30th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
My family has come up with a big chart system, whereby we have listed 12 items that we think are important to include in each day. Every family member has their own chart and colours in their own squares, the idea being that by the end of this, we will have a brightly-coloured symbol of what we’ve been up to.
 Every family member has their own chart and colours in their own squares. We think the 12 important points are:
1. Outside time
2. Workout time
3. Reading time
4. Build your brain time
5. Alone time
6. Creative time
7. Talk/FaceTime a friend
8. Talk/FaceTime a relative
9. An act of kindness for someone outside your home (ie. raking your neighbour’s yard, mailing a letter to someone)
10. Eating >6 fruits/veg per day
11. Drinking > 6 glasses of water per day.
12. List something that you’re grateful for.
This has been a good way for us to give a bit of structure and routine to our days, while still maintaining each person’s flexibility on how they want to spend their time.
 Burlington Marathoner Ashley Worobec does the Around the Bay Run – she didn’t see it as a cancelled event. One thing we did this morning was really valuable for us all. I’ve been training all Winter for the Around the Bay 30K in Hamilton, which was scheduled to run this morning (March 29). It’s the oldest race in all of North America, and began in 1894- as a long-distance runner in this area, it’s pretty much a staple of Spring training plans.
Of course it was cancelled, but it only occurred to me a few days ago that I could still run it solo! And that’s exactly what I did.
My family dropped me off at Dundurn Castle on York Boulevard (the race typically starts and ends at First Ontario Centre, but Dundurn Castle made it easier for me from a logistics standpoint) and I headed East through downtown Hamilton, along Beach Boulevard and the canal lift bridge, and then across Northshore Boulevard’s rolling hills, to continue onto Plains road and end up back at Dundurn Castle.
My family met me at the 10km mark and at the 20km mark with water and Gatorade and cheers and hugs. It was such a chance for me to reclaim some normalcy in this abnormal world we’re living in, and it gave me SUCH a mental boost.
My kids and husband remarked how happy it made them as well, and I even saw two other runners out there doing the same thing as me, one of them wearing a homemade race bib that said “ATB Anyway”, complete with his wife ringing a cowbell at stoppage points along the route.
By Staff
March 30th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Due to the ongoing threat of COVID-19, the City of Burlington has decided to suspend all City-run spring programs and extend the closure of all recreation facilities, parks, playgrounds, sports fields and City administration facilities to the end of June.
During this time, all bookings will be cancelled, and refunds will be given. Organizations and residents are asked to please be patient as refunds may take up to two weeks to process. Questions related to rentals can be sent to rentals@burlington.ca. For registrations, email liveandplay@burington.ca.
This decision, made by the City’s Emergency Control Group, follows the guidance of the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada and the Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health to prepare and plan for the months ahead.
The City of Burlington regularly plans in quarters, including Council’s 4-year strategic workplan, Vision to Focus. We need to make decisions now that affect programming weeks and months out, to provide some certainty to our community and to our many community partners.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward explains that: “This decision is absolutely necessary to protect the health and well-being of our employees and our community, as we plan for the best but prepare for the worst.
“COVID-19 numbers are still rising in our City through community spread. So we must continue to work towards flattening the curve through social and physical distancing and staying home. That means we can’t gather together at recreation facilities, community centres, sports fields and parks.
“We don’t know exactly how long this situation is going to last. By planning ahead, we can redirect resources where most needed, put non-essential projects on hold, and remain agile enough to open things up earlier if the situation changes. And once this is over, we will come together again as a community to celebrate. Let’s each do our part to get through this, healthy and whole.”
We are asking everyone to remember they have a role to play in slowing the spread of COVID-19:
Please continue to keep out of park facilities including
o playgrounds,
o sports fields,
o skate parks,
o dog off-leash areas and
o community gardens.
o If you need some fresh air and activity, it’s okay to walk, cycle or jog through our parks, but please do not linger.
o Stay 2 metres (6 feet) away from everyone else in the park or on a trail.
o Please take your waste home with you to dispose of it.
During this extended closure we will continue to maintain our essential services and those services that provide direct support to keep our residents and staff safe. These include areas such as Burlington Fire, Burlington Transit including Handi-Van, Traffic Services, ByLaw Enforcement, Roads, Parks and Forestry Operations, Building Inspections and Service Burlington.
With this announcement the administration wants to assure residents that the business of the City will continue during this critical time.
“Our staff that are able, are continuing to work from home to maintain City services such as Community Planning, City Capital Works and various Corporate Services. During this unprecedented time, we are continually looking at ways for us to work more efficiently and to use taxpayer dollars wisely. We have already put in place spending restraints on all non-essential purchases during this time and will look to utilize our staff where we can instead of outsourcing.
“The majority of the City’s expenditures is paying our hard-working employees and we must continue to ensure we have the staff needed to get us through these challenging times. This means we will maintain our full-time staff workforce. They will continue to work remotely during this period or be redeployed where possible into essential service areas. We are also aware of other organizations that may need assistance, like the Region of Halton, where we may be able to redeploy staff.
“For our part-time staff, we will look at various options including evaluating government assistance programs being offered by the provincial and federal governments.
“Once we have looked at options for our staff, as a last resort we will also consider layoffs as required.
“We also know we’re not going to be back to 100 per cent on Day 1 after this pandemic has ended. We have to set the expectations for ourselves as a City and the public that it won’t be business as usual the first day we’re back from this. However, having plans in place for the next three months means we’ll be able to get back on our feet, operating at 100 per cent again that much sooner.
“This situation is evolving every hour and we are continually monitoring. The City of Burlington will continue to keep you informed.
 Tim Commisso, City Manager Tim Commisso, City Manager adds that “Over the last few weeks our focus and priority has been on dealing with the immediate impacts of COVID-19 which has included meeting daily and taking specific actions based on analysis of virus spread and in partnership with public health.
“Clearly, we now need to look ahead and make decisions that are in best interests of our community and staff. We still need to do all we can to prevent the spread of the virus and continue to deliver our essential services in addition to providing certainty and stability for the next several months. We remain committed to strong financial management and ensuing we have adequate resources to meet this challenge.”
By Pepper Parr
March 27th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
We used to say we were always so busy – now hundreds of us are sitting at home and just plain bored.
There is only so much Netflix you can take. And reading those books you always wanted to read requires an approach to life that many of us have lost – just being quiet is something we find ourselves having to learn.
Yesterday, and again this morning, we were sent pictures of little painted rocks by people who were out for a walk and came across them.
Who put them there – and why?
 Have a look at the news story we put up this morning and then go into your Sherlock Holmes mode and see if you can discover who did this really nice thing. I personally love the one of the rock that is winking at me.
Painted rocks story HERE
We are waiting to hear what you learn?
Send whatever you find out to publisher@bgzt.ca or put a comment at the bottom of the news story.
By Staff
March 27th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 Special Joy not GERMS – done in chalk on the Centennial Trail Sylvia and Pat Lennon walk daily on either the Centennial Path or waterfront at Spencer Smith Park.
 They sent us a note saying “they just returned from our walk and wanted to tell everyone about the section on the Centennial trail beginning at Martha street and were delighted to find between Delaware and Guelph Line some really colourful rocks that lined each side of the path.
Were they done by children who found something interesting to do now that the schools are closed?
 Each of the rocks had a message – usually uplifting.
There was also a chalk message with beautiful script.
The photos are a delight. Have a look. Wish we knew who did these. Can anyone add to this delightful story?
The Gazette has learned that friends of the people who sent us the pictures “discovered painted rocks along the Beach Boulevard path today about a half mile beyond the Canal Lift Bridge. Little rock fairies were hard at work planting their inspirational messages. Another surprise was that Harry’s Pub on the Beach had takeout! After our walk, we ordered delicious cheeseburgers and fries to take home. What an uplifting day!”
 
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