Mayor buoyed by positive actions in city during COVID-19

By Jensen, Randy on April 30, 2020.

Lethbridge Food Bank executive director Maral Kiani Tari works with community partners to continue the Mindful Munchies program. Herald file photo by Ian Martens @IMartensHerald

Tyler Hay

For The Herald

Lethbridge Mayor Chris Spearman is thanking and encouraging citizens who are spreading positivity in the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. He says the city has shown an increase in community spirit and a high level of volunteerism and collaboration.

“People are going out and helping their neighbours – they are delivering groceries and checking on people who might be vulnerable. That’s great and hopefully that will continue,” says Spearman.

Spearman says there is a continuing need for volunteers in the community. People who want to help can visit the Volunteer Lethbridge website to find opportunities such as sewing masks, sorting donation items and providing wellness checks for community members.

One example of positive collaboration is the Mindful Munchies program – a program that provides lunches to students who relied on the school system.

“Now we have community groups delivering food to over 750 children each week to get lunch items for the week. The Lethbridge Food Bank and the school staff have been working together to put the meals together, and the My City Cares program and the Boys and Girls club deliver the meals to needy families,” says Spearman.

The mayor says he has seen people use social media to spread positive messages and photos of art in the community.

“We hosted a Facebook contest, asking our residents to show us pictures of the cool things happening in their neighbourhoods – people like those producing chalk art, painted rocks and things like that – encouraging messages in the window and window art,” he says. “People can continue (to inspire creativity) by posting images and using the hashtag #StayWellYQL so the rest of Lethbridge can enjoy them.”

Spearman says local businesses have shown creativity in finding ways to get products to customers and encourages people to continue to shop and support local. He attributes Lethbridge’s low COVID-19 case count to compliance shown by citizens regarding public health orders and recommendations.

“According to our director of emergency management, he feels about 80 per cent of the people in the city are complying with the health orders. There are exceptions and we are taking a positive approach and educating people who aren’t complying,” says Spearman.

He says Lethbridge has been co-operative in the fight against COVID-19 and he would like to thank and commend the community.

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