Our Hidden champions

Behind the Scenes…

Behind the scenes in every community, many people volunteer. They are giving, generous, connected to their communities and help others lead happier and healthier lives. They don’t want recognition, hide from the media and blush when someone thanks them publicly.

Linda Lynch and Lynne LaFontaine are two of our hidden community champions! In partnership, this dynamic duo coordinates the complex operations of the community food bank. These women ensure there is enough food on the shelves, schedule volunteers to open the doors of the food bank three days per week, accept donations, send thank you cards and receipts, contact clients, collect documentation and so much more. Following the Ontario order to stay at home in March, Lynne needed to take a hiatus, a choice well respected by all who know her. Linda began volunteering at the food bank 13 years ago after retiring from her teaching career. Her years of experience gave her the tools to step in and manage all operations during Lynne’s absence. Linda is very grateful that her partner has now returned to the team.

Lynne and Linda are advocates and dedicated volunteers who give of their time, knowledge and good will many days a week. Life and financial circumstances for countless people have changed due to the pandemic, with many businesses closing and the economy literally shutting down. Linda’s passion has ensured that, even with unprecedented challenges that began in March, the necessary changes have been made to keep the freezers, fridges and shelves stocked.

How is it possible to do this safely in the midst of a pandemic? This crew of remarkable people are in change mode weekly. Clients need no longer enter the building at 18 Division Street North. Food is prepackaged in boxes and bags, ready for delivery or pickup to ensure everyone stays safe with social distancing as a priority. As people arrive, food and necessities are placed into the vehicle or cart for them. You see, there is another group of volunteers donating their time, working behind the scenes as well: they accept donations, check expiration dates, package products, stock shelves, pack boxes and shop. Thanks to Rob, Jim, Guy, Andy, Matt, Marie, Mary, Sharon. Carol and the volunteers from the Kinsgsville Southshore Rotary Club, the food bank is operating safely and meeting the needs of our community.

All volunteers are in awe of the generosity of residents. At the end of each month, a list of what is needed is posted in the window. People drop off supplies at the front door or make monetary donations. A thoughtful family recently made creative gift bags for children. Local farmers and greenhouses continue to be very charitable with the contribution of fruits and vegetables including Mastronardi Produce, Nichols Orchard, Top Line Greenhouse, Allegra Acres and Five Star Farms. Green Heart graciously donates single person meals regularly. We are grateful.

The Kingsville Food Bank is not part of the larger cooperative and operates as an independent organization. It opened in 1996 in what we now refer to as the old fire hall under the leadership of Annie Metcalfe, followed by Marilyn Mayville-Allen and their teams. Needs in the community continued to grow and the food back location was changed two additional times. A series of circumstances resulted in Linda stepping in as a Coordinator for a short time three years ago. Lynne and Linda now report to a nine member Board of Directors and the food bank is funded solely through donations.

None of this would be possible without Lynne and LInda’s leadership. Their kind, caring, committed nature drives them to make every decision based on what is best for families. They are welcoming, know everyone by name and are tireless in making any change necessary to ensure the food bank will remain open every Tuesday and Thursday (9:00 am - 12:45 pm). Hours were extended to include Wednesday evenings (5 - 7 pm) several months ago through a partnership with the Kingsville Southshore Rotary Club and their active group of volunteers. Anyone who is in need is encouraged to contact the food bank at (519) 733-8591.

Thank you Lynne and Linda, our hidden champions. Who would you like to recognize and celebrate from your community?

My Gift to You - WHO WOULD HAVE IMAGINED?

Six weeks ago, who were you spending time with? What were you doing?

Two of our children were finishing mid-terms in pursuit of their degrees. Our oldest was in the midst of his research, studying for his PHD. Ken and I were ripping out our old kitchen and replacing all the “pieces” step by step.

I was excited to have been a guest speaker at three events at the end of February and beginning of March and looking forward to those booked for the future. My college students had all begun their field placements with success. My podcast series was off and running and second book entering the cover design stage. My husband, a retired police officer, was working part time as a FEDEx driver.

FULL STOP.

We were hearing reports of a virus overseas. We’ve had them before. Wasn’t that too far away to really worry about in Essex County? The Covid-19 journal I began a month ago attests to how quickly things changed… daily if not hourly. Unprecedented, to say the least.

If you’re out of the country, come home.

Your travel insurance will be suspended in 10 days.

The border is closed. Vultures are cleaning out the grocery stores.

Local shops, small business owners are shut down with two days notice.

Schools and childcare centres are closing.

Only essential services remain open.

HOLD ON!

Retired medical practitioners and first responders are being hired back to work. Health care workers are on the front line. We’re searching for masks, face shields, medical gowns and ventilators. Field hospitals are being created. Businesses are re-tooling to make what we desperately need to survive. An entire generation in Italy and Spain have now been taken by this thing. It’s coming our way. One. Ten. Fifty. Almost three hundred…confirmed cases in our county and continuing to grow. People are ill, fighting for their lives. Long term care and retirement homes are locked down. Over one million people in Canada are now without employment.

Today, we say, “We have to flatten the curve.”

Today, nurses, doctors and first responders are staying in hotels or living in trailers to keep their families safe.

Today, we’re checking in on family and friends through online video chats.

Today, elementary, secondary, college and university students and teachers have moved to online learning, including myself and my children.

Today, we line up and wait six feet away from each other to enter a pharmacy or grocery store.

Today, we suffer heartache and can’t visit those in hospitals or palliative care…can’t come together to grieve the loss of a friend or loved one.

This is more than real. It’s incomprehensible. The coming weeks and months will be like nothing we have known before. People we know and love will fall ill. Businesses will close their doors permanently. People will have no job to go back to. Reality is about to smack each of us in the face, if it hasn’t already.

The world is giving us time to re-set in countless ways. Environmentally, we’ve had a drop in global emissions, waterways are running clear, air pollution has dropped substantially in major cities around the world. We have direct evidence of the positive impact we’ve have as human beings on our planet, because we’ve been forced to. We can’t ignore this and go back to the way things were. We have a responsibility to learn and re-envision a new normal with the power to create what that new normal will be - for ourselves, our communities and this world. This time can also be seen as a gift for those of us blessed to be staying home. Time to self-reflect, heal, read, be with our families...Time to find ourselves and what really brings us happiness and fulfillment...Time to take a stance and decide that we’re not going back to the treadmill of “stuff”. We’ll move forward with a new sense of purpose and realization of what really matters. Let’s not settle for anything less.

Today, I’m making masks as my “gift” to people. Who would have ever imagined?