Three community members in Parksville have banded together to create a support network for their neighbourhood.
The idea came to fruition when Cecilia Leggett started thinking about her elderly neighbours.
“I think what resonated with me the most was the thought of elderly people that don’t have family nearby that could feel a lot more anxiety than others,” she said. “And for them to know that there is this community, there is this neighbourhood community behind them ready to assist them should they need.”
She made up a flyer offering grocery and supplies assistance to anyone isolating or in quarantine and dropped them off to her neighbours.
Leggett said it’s also for people who don’t need the help right now, but might in the future.
“Even if they don’t need the assistance, just to lessen their anxiety, to know that we’re here and we care,” she said.
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That’s what the service gave Mary Tobey, who is isolating with her family after being abroad. She found a flyer on her doorstep offering help to anyone who isn’t able to go out and get their own groceries and supplies and said it made her feel less secluded.
“I would have accessed that service, that kindness, if my sister had not went and got me groceries,” she said. “I will definitely access this act of kindess if I need it, for sure.”
Legget said she got together with two neighbours to hand out flyers with their emails and phone numbers on them. From there, people who are interested in helping and those who need assistance can reach out.
“The response has been really positive from the neighbours that I have spoken to,” she said. “The beauty of when a community unites is that the opportunities exponentially grow of assisting because you’ve got many people involved.”
She’s been following the procedures from the Canadian Centre for Disease Control for handing out flyers and distributing groceries and supplies.
