A message from the Mayor - May 15, 2020
Published on 15 May 2020
As we enter a new stage of restrictions, it’s important to remember that the message remains the same – do the right thing and look after each other. So far, the community has been abiding by lockdown conditions extremely well, and now is not the time for complacency. Hopefully, lockdown is getting a little bit easier for some, as we can now visit family and friends. I want to thank West Wimmera residents for the strength they have shown during these difficult times.
In tough times, it’s important to remember that everyone’s coping mechanism is different. Some people might be coping extremely well with isolation, while there are many others in the community that may be struggling. A lot of people in the shire are working from home, and/or homeschooling children. Both situations present a very unique set of challenges that everyone will deal with differently. For those working from home, I would like to share with you a set of principles that were circulated to public sector workers by the Canadian Government. These points are relevant to all workforces, whether that be Canadian, British, American, Asian or European:
- You are not “working from home” you are at your home, during a crisis, trying to work.
- Your personal physical, mental and emotional health is far more important than anything else right now.
- You should not try to compensate for lost productivity, by working longer hours.
- You will be kind to yourself and not judge how you are coping based on how you see others coping
- You will be kind to others and not judge how they are coping based on how you are coping.
- Your teams success will not be measured the same way it was when things were “normal”
I encourage everyone in the community to continue enjoying the positive activities that are happening in our shire, such as virtual meet-ups, verandah chats or letter writing. I also encourage everyone to continue to get regular exercise, especially with national parks in the region opening back up. However, any activity must be done safely – stick to small groups and adhere to social distancing regulations.
Staff at West Wimmera are continuing to reach out to vulnerable people in the community to offer support. Council has access to a number of packages, including food staples boxes, and are continuing to deliver them where they are needed. We are here to help and anyone who is struggling to put food on the table should call our intake team for a confidential conversation.
We look forward to the next state government announcement at the end of the month. Until then, continue to stay safe everyone.
Bruce Meyer
Mayor – West Wimmera Shire Council