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th ei fp .c a Th e IF P -H al to n H ill s | T hu rs da y, M ay 7, 20 20 | 6 ABOUT US This newspaper, published every Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 80 community publications across Ontario. This newspaper is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concerns to the attention of the news- paper and, if not satisfied, write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4W 2H2. Phone: 416-340-1981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca newsroom@theifp.ca IndependentAndFreePress @IFP_11 WHO WE ARE Publisher Kelly Montague Regional Managing Editor Catherine O'Hara Managing Editor Karen Miceli Distribution Representative Iouliana Polar Real Estate Kristie Pells Regional Production Manager Manuel Garcia Halton Media General Manager Jason Pehora CONTACT US The Independent & Free Press 280 Guelph Street, Unit 77 Georgetown, ON L7G 4B1 Phone: 905-873-0301 Classifieds: 1-800-263-6480 Fax: 905-873-0398 Letters to the editor All letters must be fewer than 320 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters. Published letters will appear in print and/or online at theifp.ca Delivery For all delivery inquiries, please e-mail lpolar@miltoncanadianchampion.com or call 905-234-1019. OPINION TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT THEIFP.CA We have an incredible team at Halton Region. I am proud of all staff, from our health-care pro- fessionals to essential ser- vice workers and front-line responders, who have been working around the clock to respond to COVID-19 and maintain the high quality of life we experience in Halton. Behind every public health guideline, every cup of clean drinking water, ev- ery call to 311 and every empty recycling bin, there is someone on the front line. These staff have put their lives on hold to be there for us when we need them the most. For all you have done and continue to do, we thank you! Your work has not gone unno- ticed. I would also like to thank all of our nurses, physicians, health-care professionals, long-term- care staff and first respond- ers for all they are doing to care for those affected by COVID-19. It takes courage to show up, stay positive and keep going through the long hours and missed family dinners. Our com- munity thanks you for ev- erything you are doing to protect our health and to care for our loved ones. Since the declaration of COVID-19 as an emergency in Ontario and in Halton, our community has come together to say thank you to our front-line workers in many meaningful ways. Walking through my neighbourhood, I have seen sidewalk chalk and window signs reminding us to stay strong. And every evening, I hear residents shout, clap and cheer for those on the front line who are working to keep us safe and main- tain critical services in our community. Thank you for encour- aging them and doing your part by staying home. Our health-care professionals and front-line staff need our support, now more than ever. I encourage you to share photos and videos of how your neighbourhood is thanking those on the front line by posting them on so- cial media with the hash- tags #StrongerTogether and #HaltonON. To learn more about Halton's response to CO- VID-19 and our staff on the front line, visit halton.ca/ COVID19 or go to the #StrongerTogether cam- paign on our social media channels at @RegionofHal- ton. Remember to be kind, be informed and be safe. Gary Carr is the region- al chair of Halton Region. To contact him, email gary.carr@halton.ca. THANK YOU TO OUR FRONT-LINE STAFF BE SURE TO SHOW HEALTH-CARE AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES WORKERS HOW GRATEFUL YOU ARE, WRITES GARY CARR "For all you have done and continue to do, we thank you! Your work has not gone unnoticed." - Gary Carr GARY CARR Column OK, so we're all starting to have more intense, weird dreams as our minds try to cope with the stress, hid- den or overt, of this pan- demic. Don't wake up in a pan- ic, flip over and flat palm your husband in the face. Things are uncertain, times are surreal, normal avenues of things like food and income are wobbly and we feel that we have to somehow take control in order to feel less adrift. Certainly we have to sort stuff out, especially when we sleep. Our sub- conscious minds are on full speed ahead mode. The first thing I'd say is let the dreams come. It helps. Write them down. Try and sort out why your brain is tossing such a mixed salad at you. This is a rare opportuni- ty to get in touch with your inner you. Say, "Hello inner me." But don't be stressed when it talks back. It's nor- mal. We are all going to have some measure of PTSD af- ter this is over. In the meantime, You- Tube some smart thera- pists. Avoid the end-of-days horse-pucky and focus on the nuts and bolts science, which will honestly lay out exactly how things will flow, but know inside we're all a bit unnerved and need to connect as humans. Whatever honest voices out there have to offer lis- ten, appraise and absorb what works for you to calm the dreams. Practise lucid dreaming if you've never heard or tried it. Might be a good time to avoid shooter games in virtual reality, especially the zombie apocalypse ones. And, hopefully, this world's thirst for apoca- lypse movies and shows will abate somewhat and we'll crave romantic come- dies again. Collectively hear all the voices and see we are in this together, working to- ward restoring our civi- lized world, perhaps in a better way. An e-hug to you all. Stephen Ilott is a home organizer and author of "The Domestic Archaeol- ogist." Visit www.declutter- ing.ca or contact him at silott@cogeco.ca or 416-460- 8098. SO YOU'RE HAVING WEIRD DREAMS OUR SUBCONSCIOUS IS ON OVERDRIVE DURING THIS STRESSFUL AND UNCERTAIN TIME, WRITES STEPHEN ILOTT STEPHEN ILOTT Column SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AT THEIFP.CA