Valerie Murray of Victoria has been awarded a BC Achievement Community Award for 2020. A long-time resident of Oak Bay, Valerie recently moved to our neighbouring community of Fairfield. Valerie is one of 25 remarkable individuals from around the province who were recently selected by an independent jury to receive a 17^th annual Community Award.

The BC Achievement Foundation established in 2003, carries out a mission to “honour excellence and inspire achievement throughout BC”. Outstanding members of the community are recognized for their exceptional contributions that build community spirit and inspire present and future generations to step up and do the same. The recipients of the 2020 Community Award will be recognized in a formal presentation ceremony in Victoria, in the presence of the Honourable Janet Austin, OBC, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. Each recipient will receive a certificate and a medallion designed by BC artist Robert Davidson, OC, OBC. Due to COVID-19, the ceremony planned for the end of April has been postponed to a future date to be announced.

Born and raised in Victoria, BC, Valerie has been a dedicated volunteer and supporter of many organizations involving the arts, music and gardening for 3 decades. She has passionately advocated for the inclusion of music in the lives of children. Valerie served on the University of Victoria Finnerty Gardens Advisory Board for 15 years and on the Victoria Conservatory of Music Board. Valerie is also a former member of Oak Bay’s Heritage Commission. For over 10 years, Valerie has served as Head Gardener for Friends of Government House Garden Society. At Government House, Valerie has led teams of volunteers of all ages, who provide her with inspiration and she says “if not for the commitment of our volunteers, the beautiful gardens as we have known them for the last 25 years, would not exist”. She is quick to praise the many volunteers who do so much in our community.

Valerie is one of the founding members of the Breakfast2Music (B2M) program. Breakfast2Music is a registered not-for-profit society that raises funds to provide nutritious breakfasts and support music programs in schools across Greater Victoria. After learning that one in six students go to school hungry, Valerie knew it was a critical issue to address. “Kids need to get their day off to a good start. Hungry kids can’t focus or learn. Hungry kids are more likely to have behavioural problems. Breakfast programs encourage kids to come to school and as well as providing nutrition offer important social contact when they eat together ”. Of the funds raised by B2M, ideally 75% goes towards funding breakfast programs and 25% goes towards music programs (such as support with musical instruments and University of Victoria music student tutors to support individual students).

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought much more awareness to the issue of food security in Victoria and the importance of programs like B2M. Although lunch programs are funded provincially in many of our schools, the breakfast programs are not, depending instead on a patchwork of efforts, involving various fundraising organizations and local service groups. It is Valerie’s hope that stable funding will be found to level the playing field and ensure that all students are able to start the day with a full tummy. “First we eat, then we learn, and then we thrive”.

We are so fortunate to have someone as talented and generous as Valerie in our community. She has given so much of her talent and passion to the benefit of so many – students, volunteers and all of us who enjoy the beauty of the gardens where she lends her expertise as a master gardener. Thank you, Valerie for your exceptional contributions to your community and congratulations on the well-deserved honour you have received as a recipient of the 2020 BC Achievement Community Award.

Over 60 Island Medical Program students are participating as volunteers in a student-led initiative to serve the community in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They are providing a number of key services in our community, including:

• Contactless grocery delivery to seniors
• Assisting GPs with wellness phone checks with vulnerable patients
• Helping an inner-city response team respond to support our homeless population
• Childcare and pet care for front line workers
• Collecting PPE donations for Island Health
• Volunteering with UVic’s 3D printing of face shields for front line workers

Madelaine Beckett (Class of 2021) began working with Jesse Spooner and Amy Kim (Class of 2020) to coordinate the outpouring of requests from students for opportunities to get involved supporting the community. Their early work included childcare, pet care and running errands for front line healthcare workers. Thanks to their early efforts, the initiative quickly expanded as new ideas came on board. Max Moor-Smith (Class of 2020) joined to lead an initiative to collect personal protective equipment and support the 3D printing project at UVic.

Emily Lerhe and Caroline Spaner (Class of 2022) are leading a project called Bag Half Full to provide grocery delivery to seniors. There are now about 20 volunteers doing the shopping and deliveries. This was modeled on a project started at the University of Alberta, which has now expanded to other campuses across Canada.

Madelaine Beckett and Jesse Spooner and two others from the Class of 2021 (Emma Woo and Rita Wakelin) have been working to provide administrative support to the Victoria Inner City COVID-19 Response Team, a physician led group working to address the dual crisis of homelessness and COVID-19. In addition to the administrative work, they have recruited volunteers for assembling donated cell phones with SIM cards and software to support healthcare outreach to this vulnerable community.

Other students have returned to work in their pre-medical school careers as paramedics and nurses. Many students are engaged in research projects dealing with COVID-19.

We are fortunate and grateful for the tremendous efforts of the Island Medical Program students. Thank you for stepping up so quickly to respond to the needs of the community. You have made a huge difference in the lives of so many people.

The Island Medical Program delivers the UBC MD program in collaboration with UVic and Island Health. Based on UVic campus and at affiliated healthcare centres across Vancouver Island, the program was created in 2004 to help address regional shortages of physicians, particularly in remote, rural and indigenous communities.

Both CHEK TV and the Oak Bay News have covered the remarkable, and selfless, contributions of these young medical-professionals-in-training.

As we celebrate the 50^th anniversary of Earth Day we recognize that we live in a world that is vastly different from what it was even just a few months ago. For the first time, Earth Day will be celebrated without large outdoor events where we come together and share our vision for a sustainable future. Instead, millions of people will come together via online platforms and global events featuring today’s scientific experts, thought leaders and our creative communities. Earth Day has been re-imagined by necessity due to the current crisis we all face.

The COVID-19 global pandemic has changed our lives profoundly and destabilized our economy in an unprecedented manner. Yet in every crisis, there is also opportunity and, in this crisis, we have an opportunity to rethink our way of life and how we live on this planet.

Although separate issues, there are parallels that can be drawn between the pandemic and the climate crisis. Both are global and require evidence-based solutions grounded in science. Both have laid bare the deficiencies and inequities in how we protect the most vulnerable in our society. Both require bold political leadership in a changing, threatened world.

Here in British Columbia, the response of our public health officials and the government to the COVID-19 crisis has shown our province to be a leader in acting quickly to avoid worst case scenarios. Strict measures like social distancing and non-essential business closures which were implemented early in BC appear to have ‘flattened the curve’. There has been a high degree of compliance to these measures and an outpouring of support in the community to assist those most vulnerable. While we are encouraged by the data we have seen, this is no time to let down our guard and relax the strict measures too quickly. Other jurisdictions in the world have shown that this has serious and life-threatening implications.

British Columbia has also proven to be a leader in response to climate change. We are well positioned to lead into the 21^st century with CleanBC, the new economic vision for how BC will prosper in a changing and challenging world.

In the context of responding to the pandemic, we have an opportunity to embrace a new approach to transitioning the economy. While the pandemic has had a devastating effect on the economy due to radical business and industry shutdowns, there has been an unintended, but beneficial consequence of a sharp drop in global greenhouse gas emissions. As the economy revives, we have a chance to reset priorities and move more quickly to renewable resources as a cost-effective solution to fossil fuels. The major disruption caused by the pandemic is an opportunity to make transformational change for a cleaner, healthier future.

While the pandemic has appeared as a clear and present danger that will play out over weeks and months, the climate crisis is an existential threat that has been playing out over decades. The radical economic measures taken in response to the pandemic are not the way to combat climate change, however we have an opportunity to rethink our behaviour and approach to transitioning the economy for the long term. We have come together in new ways to fight the pandemic. Perhaps we can emerge with a deeper understanding of our interdependence as a global community. Something to ponder on Earth Day 2020.

Are you a senior in need of assistance? Are you able to volunteer to assist seniors during this critical time? Please read on to find out how to request help or how to offer your help as a volunteer.

As part of BC’s response plan to COVID-19, supports to seniors have been bolstered throughout the province to address immediate needs so seniors can get the support they need to stay safe at home.

Safe Seniors, Strong Communities is a new initiative funded by the provincial government in partnership with the United Way Better at Home program, bc211 and community agencies throughout BC. Many community agencies in BC are deployed to provide assistance in local communities.

The Safe Seniors, Strong Communities Program is an expansion of the bc211 program, in recognition of the profound effect that  the COVID-19 pandemic is having on many seniors. The program is designed to match seniors who need support with non-medical essentials, to volunteers in their community who are willing to help.

Assistance is focused on the following services:

• Grocery shopping and delivery
• Meal preparation and delivery
• Prescription pickup and delivery
• Phone and/or virtual friendly visits

It is easy for seniors to request assistance and for volunteers to apply.

By phone, central intake is available by dialing 2-1-1 from anywhere in the province.

You can also register online for the new Safe Seniors, Stronger Communities Program at http://www.bc211.ca/

Seniors are encouraged to reach out and connect. Many seniors live independently and may not already be connected to agencies in their community. This new program may be a positive legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic – more seniors will be connected with local services and remain connected after the crisis has passed.

Volunteers will be vetted and required to complete the Minister of Solicitor General’s Vulnerable Sector Record Check. Volunteers and seniors will be matched via postal code with the nearest COVID-19 community response agency.

Minister of Health Adrian Dix created the Safe Seniors, Strong Communities (SSSC) committee, comprising BC Seniors Advocate Isobel MacKenzie and MLA’s from all parties in the BC Legislature. This initiative is the result of the work of this committee. I am very grateful for their work and rapid response to this critical need for seniors.

Call 2-1-1 or visit bc211.ca if you are a senior in need or would like to volunteer to help a senior in your community. The helpline takes calls 7 days/week, from 8:00am to 7:00pm.

In this difficult time, it is easy to be consumed and feel overwhelmed by the rapidly evolving situation with the COVID-19 pandemic. We are looking for ways to help ourselves, our family, our friends and our local community.

In addition to information we are receiving from trusted government sources, we are hearing of many instances where local actions are being taken to assist vulnerable people during this health crisis. My office is tracking these local efforts and we will communicate with you regularly in the coming weeks and months to keep you updated.

We need ways to take action, to support each other and stay connected. Personal connection and emotional support are important for everyone, especially those who may need extra help due to challenging personal circumstances.

Recent events have an impact on our mental health and it is critical to reach out if you need help. If you are concerned about your mental health or the mental health of others, use these resources to seek help:

310 Mental Health Support at 310-6789 (no area coded needed) for emotional support, information and resources specific to mental health.

Kid’s Help Phone Line at 1-800-668-6868 to speak to a professional counsellor, 24 hours a day.

1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) if you are considering suicide or concerned about someone who may be.

A short video called “Taking Care of Your Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic” created by Dr. Adriana Wilson, Department of Psychiatry at Dalhousie University gives some helpful suggestions:

It has been heartening to see the local resources appearing on social media, where people are finding ways to connect and support each other. Some of the local groups that have been created on Facebook are listed below, with descriptions.

1) Victoria COVID-19 Childcare for Health Care/Essential Services Workers
https://www.facebook.com/groups/583817188881220/?multi_permalinks=585144812081791&notif_id=1584568945671792&notif_t=group_activity&ref=notif

About: Let’s bring our community together to help health care workers and other essential services stay at work. This site is to connect people who can help with childcare needs for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and any other essential service worker during COVID-19. In this way we can continue social distancing to help flatten the curve, while keeping our essential workers at work to help the community. If you are able to offer childcare in an essential workers home, or in a way that is in line with social distancing principles, please let us all know by posting an #Offer or #ISO ask! Social distancing is an act of togetherness and solidarity. Thank you!

2) Vancouver Island – Pandemic Find Help/Offer Help:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2274974392810494

About: This group is for the Greater Victoria communities including Sidney, Saanich Peninsula, Sooke, Saanich, Victoria, Westshore, etc.

The idea behind this group is to please post if you need help such as finding items, a service, perhaps asking someone to pick you up something if you’re unable to leave your home. It also allows those a place to post where they can offer something such an excess of something or perhaps could offer a service.

We do understand that some may want compensation for items, but we ask that you be reasonable in the amounts you’re asking for. This group is not intended for making profits or promoting your business. Anyone attempting to do such will be immediately removed from this group.

The intent is purely to ask for help and offer help within our community. We are all in this together and there’s a lovely thing called karma. Please only use this group for offering or seeking kindness.

3) COVID-19 Coming Together (VICTORIA/LEKWUNGEN AND W̱SÁNEĆ LANDS):

About: This is a centralized platform for localized connections for the following:

1. To Provide or Access Direct Aid: You can offer or access direct assistance such as: picking up groceries or prescription medications, walking dogs, childcare, and more.
2. To Provide or Access Social Support: This is a time of great uncertainty, anxiety, and heaviness for many folks, especially those among us who have chronic illnesses, are elderly, or are physically-isolating. Yo0u can post if you would like to offer to make or receive phone calls checking in on others.
3. Create or Access a Neighbourhood Pod: As things get harder, we show up for our neighbors. As a neighbourhood point person, you take on the responsibility of reaching out to your neighbors, checking in on what needs are arising on your block, coordinating a neighborhood group chat or phone tree, and staying in touch with the point people from other neighborhoods for resource pooling. You can post to connect with people in your area.
4. Advocate for Action from our Institutions: Resources are coming soon to connect you with groups pressuring different levels of government to implement better labour standards, implement paid sick leave, increase workplace flexibility, place a moratorium on evictions, compensate rent and mortgage payments, increase funding for public health, provide housing solutions for people who are housing insecure, offer support for migrant workers and care workers, and beyond!

4) Oak Bay Local:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/131024000626243/?post_id=947637718964863

About: Oak Bay Local started as a Facebook group with a goal of connecting locals and building community. Another original goal of the group was to ensure local businesses had the exposure and support they needed to thrive! The group continues to grow, and we have a local team of people working behind the scenes. We now have a weekly newsletter, opportunities for advertisement and partnership, and other exciting projects in the works.

Community Connect website:

Community Connect is a crowd-sourced list of help for people and businesses impacted by COVID-19. It is compiled by local people and organizations in the spirit of helping people connect with the resources and support they need to get through this challenging time. https://www.covid19communityconnect.ca/

Websites for local information and resources:

District of Oak Bay:
https://www.oakbay.ca/our-community/public-notice/news/novel-coronavirus-covid-19-information

District of Saanich:
https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/news-events/news-archives/2020-news/saanich-covid-19-update-all-municipal-facilities-closed-to-the-public.html

Capital Regional District:
https://www.crd.bc.ca/about/news/covid-19-information

What else can we do to help others?

1. Donate blood:

Canadian Blood Services needs our help! COVID-19 has impacted donor attendance and they need people to donate. O- and platelets are in the most urgent need, but all blood groups are needed. Donating blood helps patients in need, so if you are wondering what you can do to help others, this is one thing you can do. The clinics practice social distancing, are limiting the number of people in the building, are sanitizing all surfaces and are practicing all necessary health protocols. Let’s not forget the clinics are a place of wellness, where people don’t visit if they are ill. The need for blood is real, especially now.

https://www.blood.ca/en?fbclid=IwAR3vOmxasUJefKtw4sAjqBJX4-aBynfnlbwvVJgQf2v4EV4ucv9qF-ZkEk4

2. Stay in touch (by phone or email) with elderly and vulnerable neighbours. See if they need help or just offer kind words of support.

Check-in by phone or email with the people in our community who are in isolation and who are unable to receive visitors.

Get outside in your neighbourhood and say hello to your neighbours (practising social distancing of at least 2 metres, of course!)

Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office for assistance regarding BC government programs and services. Although we are not open to the public until further notice, you can reach us by email at andrew.weaver.mla@leg.bc.ca or by phone at (250) 472-8528.

Now is the time for us to come together as a community, as a province and as part of our global community in response to this pandemic.