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7 | The IFP -H alton H ills | T hursday,A pril 22,2021 theifp.ca Interlocking & Concrete Specialists Call Mario 905.842.7171 sunmarlandscape.com ™ La n d s c a p in g 3133 Burnhamthorpe Rd W, Milton, On L9E 0J7 • Pebble Concrete • Stamped Concrete • Interlocking • Flagstone • Walkways • Garage Floors • Patios • Driveways • Curbs (French) Interlocking & Concrete Specialists Communities we serve: Located in Halton region, we work in and around • Milton • Campbellville • Burlington • Aldershot • Hamilton • Oakville • Mississauga • Waterdown • Carlisle SREKCIFFART GNITEGRAT SPIT-222-008-1 ac.sreppotsemircnotlah 0002$deetnaraugerauoy ,tserranaotsdaelpitruoyfI .notlaHnisrekciffartlynatnef &dioiporofspitruoysudneS Individually, they're too numerous to mention. Col- lectively, they're too power- ful not to be moved by. That's how Patricia Bla- keley views the never-end- ing acts of community spir- it she's seen -- in Halton Hills, and across the region -- since the pandemic's ar- rival. Taking a moment to re- flect during National Vol- unteer Week (April 18-24), her enthusiasm was readi- ly apparent when discuss- ing how her army of volun- teers has persevered through COVID-19's road- blocks to keep serving those in need. "It's not surprising, but it is amazing... the pulling together to support our cli- ents," said the Director of Community Support Ser- vices for Acclaim Health, brimming with pride. Overseeing roughly 400 volunteers across Halton -- down from 500 pre-pan- demic -- Blakeley lists book deliveries, grocery shopping and activity kit drop-offs for seniors among the myriad of generous acts clients are benefiting from amidst COVID. Noting how Acclaim Health -- which has about 1,200 clients -- cares for many of the "most vulnera- ble" in the region (elderly, ill and bereaved), she vivid- ly recalls the day last spring when a mass email was sent out notifying vol- unteers that many pro- grams and services were suspended. That news -- in particu- lar the sudden loss of in- person connection -- came with a heavy heart for its deliverer and recipients alike. Blakeley won't deny that. But no sooner did the message go out than the volunteer coordinator was reminded of just how dedi- cated her team truly is. "Many of them (volun- teers) had already taken the initiative and reached out to their clients," Blake- ley explained. Since then, unity and adaptability have been fo- cal points of Acclaim Health's continuation of care -- through virtual connection, porch deliver- ies, etc. Pointing to support groups for the grieving and check-ins for the ill or el- derly, Blakeley said tech- nology has been a real life- line. "There's one client whose daughter set her up on Zoom, so now she plays the piano for her volun- teer." And while everyone's no doubt eager for a return to traditional interaction, 90 per cent of Acclaim Health's volunteers still find their work rewarding and 95 per cent of clients value those efforts -- ac- cording to the latest survey. "There's been obstacles, but I'm really thrilled with how our volunteers have stuck." Echoing those senti- ments is Heather Thomp- son. Director of Age- Friendly Initiatives with Community Development Halton, she's witnessed a surge of "informal volun- teering" across the region since the start of COVID. Among 54 organizations that participated in a re- cent survey with her orga- nization, more than a third noted that they had more volunteers than they could accommodate. "There was an abun- dance of people who came out. It was fantastic, how many people wanted to do something (to help)," said Thompson. Unfortunately, many older people -- more vulnerable to COVID -- re- luctantly put their volun- teer efforts on hold, feeling safer doing so. "They look forward to it (volunteering), it's their purpose," said Thompson. "Losing it was hard for them." Part of a tireless team that's helped break down barriers to keeping elderly clients connected -- via tools like Seniors Without Walls and TelePals -- Thompson also stressed how technology has been vital throughout the pan- demic. And not just for how ser- vices are delivered, but in how new volunteers have been recruited and trained. "Many organizations had to pivot and adapt. That was a challenge," she said. "We saw some nice things happening. It's amazing, the strength of our commu- nity -- the backbone really is our volunteers." STORY BEHIND THE STORY: With many tradi- tional volunteer programs and services shuttered during the pandemic, we wanted to speak with those involved to see how groups and individuals have adapted and continued to help their community. NEWS VOLUNTEERING IN THE COVID AGE CREATIVITY AND RESILIENCE ALLOW SUPPORT TO CONTINUE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IN HALTON 1. FOOD FOR LIFE: Warehouse volunteer/fresh food packer. Contact Shazia Wall at goodfood@foodforlife.ca or 905-635-1106, ext. 225. 2. DARLING HOME FOR KIDS (Milton): Youth Summer Initiative. Virtual engagement with children/youth with medical complexities. Contact Erin Huber at ehuber@darlinghomeforkids.ca or 905-878-7673, ext. 218. 3. LINKS2CARE HALTON HILLS: MEALS ON WHEELS DRIVER. Contact Sherisse Bhimani at sbhiman@links2care.ca or 905-844-6502, ext. 165. 4. HMC CONNECTIONS: COMMUNITY Connections Program-Newcomer Youth Tutoring Program. Contact Arlene Pangan at apangan@hmconnections.com or 905-842-2486, ext. 259. 5. COUNTRY HERITAGE PARK: Working with historical artifacts, cataloguing items, outdoor yard work, participating in events. Contact Lora Wilson at volunteer@country heritagepark.com or 905-878-8151, ext. 11. As the Director of Age Friendly Initiatives with Community Development Halton, Heather Thompson has seen an influx of informal volunteering during the pandemic. Tori Nixon photo "There was an abundance of people who came out. It was fantastic, how many people wanted to do something (to help)," - Heather Thompson, Community Development Halton STEVE LEBLANC sleblanc@metroland.com