Today, May 12, is International Nurses Day, set to honour the work of nurses around the world. It’s the ideal day to share the activities of a group of residents at Brinkworthy Estates on Salt Spring Island, AKA the Brink Bangers.
The Brink Bangers have continued to bang pots and pans at 7 p.m. each night since the practice was initiated in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic last year to express support for health-care and emergency services workers, initially.
The group ranges in size from two to 20, with the average being six to eight.
“We started last spring with everyone else across the world as a symbol to express our gratitude, solidarity and support with those on the frontlines and backlines in the fields of health, education, community, business, farming and for volunteers of all sorts,” explained Brinkworthy resident Margaret Benmore.
“We have not stopped because the situation has not stopped or even slowed down, really. It seems to have deepened into apathy . . . and it is now more complicated as folks in all fields are burning out, exhausted and feeling overwhelmed. Everything is still stressful and exhausting, and everyone is doing their best to keep things going for us on the island.”
For more on this story, see the May 12, 2021 issue of the Gulf Islands Driftwood newspaper, or subscribe online.