COVID-19 Roundup: Meals on wheels rolls on, StFX planning in-person classes, thanking care workers

St. Francis Xavier University.

By Trevor J. Adams 4 June 2020 Share this story

Nova Scotia tallied a new case of COVID-19 yesterday, raising the provincial total to 1,058 confirmed cases and 60 deaths. There are three people currently in hospital with the disease, including one in in ICU; 993 people have recovered.

IWK Foundation calls for support
For 36 years, the spring telethon has been a critical fundraiser for the IWK Foundation. Even though COVID cancelled it this year, organizers are hoping they can still count on donors to support their work.

“When we announced the telethon wasn’t happening, many in our region expressed their sadness at the loss of an annual tradition,” says IWK Foundation president and CEO Jennifer Gillivan in a press release. “I think people realized the real seriousness of the situation. We had so many people reach out to us expressing their disappointment. This is the weekend when we would be holding the Telethon and we wanted to reach out to the Maritime community to ask for their support through a fundraising campaign.” Visit the Foundation’s website to donate.

Meals on Wheels keeps rolling
While the pandemic has sapped funds and volunteers, community groups around the province have carried on, finding ways to continue their work. At Willow Lodge in Tatamagouche, the Meals on Wheels program recently received $5,500 in much-needed funding to keep offering the service for free in June.

“We are one of the very few who have been able to maintain the Meals on Wheels program,” says lodge executive director Janine Jaconelli. “It’s a big hats off to our volunteers for keeping it going.” Raissa Tetanish reports for The Light.

“They were angels”
As the pandemic casts a spotlight on their jobs, many long-term care workers are seeing outpourings of appreciation. In Chester, a 91-year-old woman has handwritten some 180 thank-you notes and cards for the staff at Shoreham Village. “I just wrote them from the heart,” says Jane Wilkins. “The staff are really loved in there and I always said they were angels before COVID-19.” Keith Corcoran reports for LighthouseNow.

See you in September?
While many post-secondary schools have already announced they’ll only offer distance learning in the fall, officials at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish are still hoping for a more typical school year. “We are preparing for classes in September, in-person and on campus,” spokesperson Cindy MacKenzie says.

This raises lots of questions: What will campus life look like? How will the university maintain safe distancing in residences, meal halls, and classrooms? How will students say safe during the various extra-curricular activities that happen at universities? Drake Lowthers from The Reporter asked StFX those questions, but MacKenzie wouldn’t answer.
 
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This story was originally published in Halifax Magazine.