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Viewpoint: Build on roots of Mother’s Day

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Viewpoint: Build on roots of Mother’s Day

By JAN SLAKOV

It’s fascinating to look at how Mother’s Day morphed over the years. It can be traced back to Ann Reeves Jarvis, who organized Mothers’ Day Work Clubs to improve health and sanitation. (Imagine how it must have been for her to lose most of her children to disease!)

During and after the U.S. Civil War, Ann worked to overcome the animosity of the opposing sides and eventually organized a “Mothers Friendship Day” for soldiers and their families from both sides. It was during this period that Julia Ward Howe spear-headed the movement to honour Mother’s Day as a day to resist militarism and to work for peace.

Ann’s daughter Anna built on her mother’s vision, and lobbied the U.S. government to declare a special day to honour mothers, which it did, in 1914. But it wasn’t long after that that commercial interests realized this was a holiday they could exploit. Anna Jarvis was appalled at the commercialization and trivialization and eventually created a petition to rescind the holiday; near the end of her life she reportedly said she “. . . wished she would have never started the day because it became so out of control . . . .”

Reading about this history gives rise to reflections on what people hold sacred, be it health, peace and reconciliation, motherly love or making money. Isn’t it amazing to see how the world we create is so much determined by our thoughts and the culture we create?

We know that we’re in the middle of a crisis much more threatening than the pandemic: the threat of ecological and also social unravelling. Our economy rewards actions that worsen the crisis and our media and political parties are largely controlled by those who can’t/won’t work to bring in healthier economic options. That Mother’s Day could be a portal to ways of overcoming these obstacles!

It turns out May 10th is also #BearWitnessDay, a day to uphold “Jordan’s Principle” — the conviction that all children should have equal access to essential services, whether they live on reserves or in wealthy neighbourhoods. What a coincidence that this effort to improve children’s health falls on Mother’s Day, which was originally also focused on improving family health. The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society website describes several COVID-safe ways for families to honour this day and further Truth and Reconciliation Committee calls to action.

The coincidence extends further; to honour the origins of Mother’s Day as a day for peace and justice, we are called to be peace-builders. Like Julia Ward Howe, we may denounce “great nations [exhausting] themselves in mutual murder.” We do need to recognize the ways that war and militarism undermine our thinking and ultimately our chances for survival. But peace activism can be more positively focused by learning about Indigenous-inspired ways of being. A less judgemental worldview, more focused on listening, gratitude and appreciation of the natural world, is at the root of peace-building. The simple yet profoundly powerful technology of talking circles can help us build understanding and connection across the many things that divide us.

Taking time to reflect on the history of Mother’s Day, and how we can build on its roots, laid down over two centuries ago, may help us build a future worthy of our children.

Jan Slakov is a long time activist and Green party member.

some sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Jarvis & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother%27s_Day_(United_States

https://fncaringsociety.com/BearWitness

http://www.livingjusticepress.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={D3B8A1F4-E956-4D80-A1E5-26DA2CAE9170

Kidney donation forges new bond

Elizabeth Nolan
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Kidney donation forges new bond

Enforced quiet time under the COVID-19 pandemic is no trouble at all for two Salt Spring women who have spent the past two months recovering from kidney transplant surgery: Karen Tottman as the organ donor and Brenda Bowes as the extremely grateful recipient. 

Strangers before Tottman’s decision to help was made, the islanders now refer to themselves as “kidney sisters.” Their successful transplant procedure took place at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver on Feb. 10, to Bowes’ continuing astonishment.

“When this possibility came up I thought, “What a beautiful woman to even think about that. How wonderful that she would do that for me,’” Bowes said. “I just couldn’t believe it. I still can’t believe it, to tell you the truth. I just can’t get my head around it.” 

Bowes, who turned 76 last week, was first diagnosed with progressive kidney disease in 2001 during an annual physical check-up. She had been managing her condition to some degree through diet and exercise, but after her kidney function fell to just 14 per cent a few years ago, she was forced to go on dialysis in order to remove waste and toxins from her body. 

The process meant travelling off-island three days per week, and by no means equalled a cure. The average lifespan for a patient of Bowes’ age on dialysis is five years. Her kidney function eventually fell as low as 11 per cent.

With doctors’ advice to pursue a transplant as soon as possible, Bowes went through and exhausted a list of potential friends and family members. She reluctantly turned to the community with her first public appeal for a living donor published in the Driftwood in November 2017. Although a few people contacted her for more information, it didn’t seem to go any further.

Tottman, who is 61 and has three adult children, came across Bowes’ situation in an online ad posted last April. After discussing it with her husband she decided to explore the potential for donating. She contacted Bowes, who put her in touch with St. Paul’s Hospital. That’s where contact between the two women would end for many months. 

Bowes only learned the transplant was a possibility a few months before it took place. She and her husband ran into Tottman’s husband, who informed them his wife was “still” pursuing the donation. 

Little did Bowes know at the time, but Tottman had been undergoing a vigorous process of medical testing and emotional/psychological monitoring all through the summer and fall of 2019 to make sure both that she was a good donor candidate and that she continued to want to be one at every step of the way. 

“Throughout the entire process they always gave me the opportunity to ask questions and to change my mind. I thought that was very sensitive,” Tottman said.

Progressive tests showed Tottman was in excellent physical health and that she had good kidney function. Activity slowed down over December but then in January 2020 she finally received the sign-off from the transplant team. 

“It gave me a lot of time to make sure I was comfortable with what was happening. It wasn’t fast, it wasn’t rushed. I had a lot of time over eight months to discuss it with my family and to check in with the social worker,” Tottman said, adding, “They were so thorough checking out my health that really gave me the comfort level. I knew I would physically be in the best condition I could be in or I wouldn’t have gone through with it.” 

The lengthy screening process also gave her confidence in her choice.

“I realized how committed I was and how disappointed I would be if this didn’t work out,” Tottman said.

Once the match was secured, Tottman asked for the earliest surgery date possible. To everyone’s surprise, an early February date was offered, giving the families just a few weeks to make arrangements.

“Usually it’s six months to a year, but this was three weeks. It was like a whirlwind,” Bowes said.

“Thank goodness it happened when it did because now all those surgeries are on hold,” Tottman observed. “Brenda got in just under the wire.”

Both women reported feeling calm and unworried going into the surgery. They were up and walking around the hospital together within 24 hours. While Tottman’s surgery was less invasive, it did mean six to eight weeks of recovery time and she will be rebuilding kidney function with her single organ over the next year. Fatigue is the main impact she is feeling now.

Bowes had a more intense operation and has a longer journey to go but has received good reports on her recovery as well. 

“It’s a long process — it’s probably nine months to a year until you’re really back to where you were, but I’m as happy as a clam,” Bowes said. “It’s a new lease on life, that’s for sure.”

There are good supports to help people complete the donation process. The Living Organ Donation Expense Reimbursement Program, administered by the Kidney Foundation of Canada, can reimburse expenses including travel, accommodations, parking, meals and potential loss of income. Tottman noted that as a donor, she would also be at the top of the list for a new kidney if she were to ever lose function herself.

The donor also can be happy knowing their gift has either saved a life or dramatically improved the quality of life for someone else. For Tottman, it’s especially meaningful that it happens to be another person in the same community. 

Bowes said although she was initially reluctant to ask the community for help, she would certainly recommend others make their needs known.

“For anyone else thinking about doing it, it’s not as scary as it seems. But you need an angel,” Bowes said. “Karen will be my heart for the rest of my life, as well as my kidney. I just think she’s marvellous.” 

Ganges hall rebuild ruled out as replacement

Elizabeth Nolan
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Ganges hall rebuild ruled out as replacement

The Salt Spring Fire Protection District Board has voted to not pursue rebuilding the Ganges fire hall and its foundations and to instead concentrate on a different location for a new hall.

The decision came after review of two professional reports on the facility and fire department needs.

The board’s Fire Rescue Advisory Committee received reports this month from Herold Engineering and FireWise Consulting, both of which confirmed the current facility is not suitable and that rebuilding on the site would not make sense financially. The focus will shift to the Brinkworthy property owned by the fire district as the primary alternate option, although variables such as water servicing still have to be determined.

“The board as a whole really wants to move forward, and our approach all along has been to have all the information to have the best evidence-based case,” said fire board chair Ron Lindstrom. “It’s been somewhat time consuming but necessary for two reasons. One is to rule out the current site and the second is to provide the rationale to explore the Brinkworthy site in more detail.” 

The seismic assessment update provided by Herold Engineering and the baseline needs report done by FireWise identified several deficiencies in the current hall and the downtown property that support making a move. 

Herold Engineering has found the site is not seismically sound, since it was built on infill without pilings to support it, and it may not withstand a major disaster, reducing the capacity of emergency services to respond. The cost of a seismic retrofit, according to the estimates provided in the report, is in the range of $1.5 to $2 million. This does not include the additional costs to renovate the building.

FireWise determined the Ganges hall is poorly placed, does not meet operational requirements and is at risk from several potential natural disasters. The report contends recent emergency events have shown having “resilient facilities that can support a professional team tasked with managing the impacts of an emergency is critical to the safety of residents.”

“Equally important, the facility has to be able to support the health and safety needs of the full time and paid on-call personnel who serve the department and community. Careful assessments have shown us that this is not the case in the current facility.”

In light of the problems identified with the building, the board accepted a recommendation from the advisory committee to obtain estimates for the immediate work necessary to make the existing hall safe and useable until a new facility can be built. This will include evaluation and repairs of the electrical system, roof repairs, termite damage, assessment of vehicle exhaust extraction systems and evaluation of air ventilation systems.

While previous boards may have been holding off on major investments since they hoped to have a new hall completed, Lindstrom said the items identified above can no longer be ignored.

“In the short-term we clearly need to look after the current site’s deficiencies. As each year goes by the situation doesn’t get any better, it gets worse,” Lindstrom said.

Salt Spring Fire Chief Arjuna George agreed with the short-term and long-term assessments.

“It’s always been something management, the board and even the public has known, that the hall is past its prime and has some issues,” George said. “We’ve kept pushing the timeline down the road but it’s come to the point that some repairs have to be done to make the hall safe for Salt Spring Fire Rescue. And it’s always been pretty evident that we’ll have to find a new location for the main fire station.”

With the Ganges site now ruled out, some potential issues with the property next to Brinkworthy Estates now have to be resolved. Confirming water supply will be at the top of the list. On April 30 the North Salt Spring Waterworks District board denied the fire district’s request for water service at that site due to its moratorium policy. There are also questions about BC Hydro transmission lines and how they might impact radio communications and safety, and about septic/sewer servicing. 

Lindstrom said the advisory committee will need to determine whether a well can provide potable water for the site.

“We’ll have to do onsite testing if that is a definitive no,” he said about the NSSWD decision.”

“We own the property, which is a huge bonus financially, but before we go ahead, we have to make sure it’s adequate for everything,” George said. “We will have to make sure we absolutely dot our I’s and cross our T’s to make sure it’s the best option for the taxpayers of Salt Spring Island.”

Information about the fire hall replacement project is available online at saltspringfire.com. People can also sign up to receive emailed updates at saltspringfire.com/fire-rescue-advisory-committee/.

NSSWD changes water restrictions

Gail Sjuberg
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NSSWD changes water restrictions

The North Salt Spring Waterworks District has made some changes to its bylaw governing water restrictions. 

Acting district manager Meghan McKee said changes were prompted by public feedback the district has received about the previous bylaw over the years and ensuing research about other jurisdictions’ practices.

“In revising these restrictions we tried to make them closer in line with those of our neighbouring jurisdictions that have similar water supply issues to us, so that would be the Cowichan Valley Regional District, the Nanaimo Regional District and all the municipalities and improvement districts in that area,” she said.

Notable changes will allow cars and boats to be washed at any time in Stage 3 (previously called Level 3), and driveways and buildings for certain purposes with a special permit. Public parks and fields could be watered upon receipt of a permit in Stage 3.

Consultations with School District 64 and CRD Parks and Rec officials revealed that fields could be allowed to go dormant at certain times in summer months without serious consequences, but that they needed water at other times, such as a couple of weeks in advance of a field being used. 

“It’s not necessarily that they will be allowed to water all summer long but that we can have the flexibility to let them do it at the end of August and times like that when they really need it,” said McKee. 

Restriction changes will use data from drought management guide curves being developed by a water resources engineer and based on water models for St. Mary and Maxwell lakes and water-use reduction targets during times of drought. 

“We have relaxed some things in this bylaw, but it’s important to be aware that for Stage 4, while it’s an outright watering ban, we are only expecting to go there every eight to 10 years, and I think about every five years for Stage 3.”

The new restrictions can be viewed on the NSSWD website.

Financial relief

In other NSSWD news, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has informed the district that it cannot extend the March 16 due date for parcel taxes to provide COVID-19 financial relief as it had hoped, because the due date had already passed. 

The district was able to change late penalty dates, however, so that the first penalty of 10 per cent would not come into effect until June 1. An additional five per cent will be charged on overdue amounts on Sept. 1 and a further five per cent on Dec. 1, 2020. For toll penalties and service interruptions, the usual 10 per cent penalty on unpaid water consumption bills will not come into effect until June 16. 

Staff restructuring 

Several changes have taken place following a staff restructuring at the district. Meghan McKee is now acting district manager. Ron Stepaniuk, who plans to retire in December, has assumed the new position of (acting) operations manager. McKee’s former environmental manager position has been eliminated. Tammy Lannan has been appointed office/financial manager, replacing Ken Roggeman.

ASK Salt Spring Gets Answers from MLA Adam Olsen

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ASK Salt Spring Gets Answers from MLA Adam Olsen

Compiled by ASK Salt Spring volunteer GAYLE BAKER.

Q. This virus has highlighted the imperative of a living space for all. What can we do to encourage the province to support the tiny home model so successful in other communities?

A. The provincial government has recently announced a comprehensive program to provide short-term housing for people in our community that are experiencing homelessness and who need to uphold physical distancing requirements. The BC Green Caucus has advocated for housing-first models, and this is a positive step forward. As the public health emergency passes and we are considering options for the economic recovery, the provincial government will have an important opportunity to develop long-term programs that address housing and the associated supports to provide people the solid foundation they need to build.

Tiny homes are a housing solution that I have long advocated. I have met with Hon. Selina Robinson (Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing) to discuss the challenges tiny home advocates are experiencing. There are municipal zoning and building code restrictions that the ministry needs to resolve in order to realize the full potential of tiny homes as one option on a spectrum of housing solutions. Going forward, I will continue to advocate for government to seriously consider these options.

Q. Why do Burgoyne, Maxwell, or even Ruckle — except the campground — need to be closed until May 31 as usage is less than in other provincial parks and social distancing could easily be maintained?

A. The provincial government made the decision to close BC Parks. When they made the decision, the public health and safety goals were to get people to follow all the orders and recommendations 100 per cent. Officials did not want people to venture out of their homes and into the wilderness and decided to close all parks as a result. At that time they did not want to strain the public health system with unnecessary visits to medical centres and also wanted to protect search and rescue teams from the potential exposure to COVID-19.

I expect announcements to be made in the coming weeks as our public health and safety officials consider how to begin lifting restrictions safely and without burdening fragile healthcare infrastructure.

Q. What can we do to get our long-overdue roads upgrades? For decades we have gotten only patchwork repairs which have not lasted.

A. Roads on the Southern Gulf Islands are definitely problematic. The challenge is province-wide. During budget estimates for the Ministry of Transportation in the past three years, I and my colleagues from around the province consistently raise road conditions and maintenance budgets. The answers are not what we want to hear. In general terms, we do not have the financial capacity to keep up with maintenance and re-surfacing that is needed.

In addition to addressing the broader transportation budget, I and my constituency team meet regularly with the local ministry officials to advocate for the budgets that have been allocated to the South Vancouver Island region to be invested in roads in Saanich North and the Islands. I encourage you to continue to contact my office with your advocacy so I can carry the issues forward to government.

Q. Concerning the recent incident in which a cargo ship bumped into another ship in the Salish Sea and entangled anchors, why are there no restrictions for ships in our small, shared Salish Sea?

A. Anchorages and shipping continue to be a major source of frustration for residents in the Southern Gulf Islands and Indigenous communities around the Salish Sea. This is a federal government jurisdiction through Transport Canada. I have met with residents, local government officials, the Chamber of Shipping, and MP Elizabeth May. I have also written to both Hon. Marc Garneau (Minister of Transport) and Hon. Doug Donaldson (Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development) to discuss options for better organizing ship movements in the Salish Sea. So far no action has been taken. It is deeply frustrating to me considering the federal government is proposing to dramatically increase oil tanker shipments and to expand the Roberts Bank terminal.

In my letter to Minister Garneau, I suggested that the federal government needs to invest in permanent mooring locations with buoys and shore power. While this is an expensive endeavour, one could argue that the financial value of the products imported and exported would justify the investment. It would be a sign of goodwill as they are asking to increase the activity that is causing environmental and social challenges. Currently there are no rules regulating ships at anchor in Canadian waters, and that needs to change!

Q. Our climate has clearly benefitted from this period of self-isolation. What are you doing to institute initiatives so that we do not return to our old environmentally unsustainable habits?

A. We are at a critical time. The decisions we make now will determine the society we build for the future. I have raised the issues of consumption, loss of biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions, and our relationship to nature many times in the legislature.

Serious climate action was a primary condition of the BC Green Caucus in our Confidence and Supply Agreement (CASA) with the BC NDP. The result of that work is CleanBC. Unfortunately, the government has also been increasing emissions through their support for liquefied natural gas expansion.

However, the economic recovery from COVID-19 represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in the future we want. We are working with the BC NDP to ensure the coming investments are in line with their commitments in the CASA, creating jobs that are good for the environment, and in line with our commitments in the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. This work is the primary focus of the BC Green Caucus legislative team!

Q. What important legislative initiatives have been delayed by this crisis?

A. There are many initiatives that have been delayed. Action to get ICBC back on track and reforms to the forestry industry are two priority areas that have been slowed down as a result of COVID-19. On the Southern Gulf Islands, my continuing commitment to protect trees and develop a mechanism to protect the last remaining stands of Coastal Douglas-fir is an initiative that has, unfortunately, suffered due to our necessary work in other policy areas.

What’s Next?

Interested in Zooming? From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. this coming Friday, May 8, ASK Salt Spring’s guest, Gary Holman, will be joined by Charles Nash, our Emergency Program coordinator, and David Norget, mental health professional as well as co-chair of the Salt Spring Health Advancement Network. To participate click:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86327738888.

Send your questions for Islands Trustee Laura Patrick to asksaltspring@gmail.com by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12.

Sea otter story explored in new book

Elizabeth Nolan
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Sea otter story explored in new book

The remarkable story of how humans wiped out a key species on the west coast of North America and also initiated a thriving recovery effort is the subject of a new book by part-time Salt Spring resident Isabelle Groc.

Sea Otters: A Survival Story is a nonfiction book for middle years students with stunning wildlife photography by the author, the result of more than a decade spent researching and observing sea otters in the wild. The book will be released this Thursday, May 7 with a virtual launch and webinar hosted by the Bateman Gallery of Nature as part of the Bateman Foundation’s Nature X series.

The sea otter’s incredible journey as a species and growing realization of the important role it plays in local ecosystems are part of the reason Groc has spent so much time following and documenting the animals, and why she felt the material should be directed at youth.

“Sea otters are very charismatic animals. They are adorable, the females are very hard-working moms, they are one of the few non-primate species to use tools — all of that makes them attractive to children,” Groc observed. “But more importantly, I really wanted to convey that everything is connected in the environment. When you remove a keystone species like this predator it has multiple impacts, and I wanted to convey to children that important relationship.”

The fact that sea otters were hunted to extinction in most of their range during the 18th and 19th centuries is sometimes a surprise to people who are used to seeing otters along the shoreline. That familiar species is actually the river otter. Sea otters spend all their time in the ocean and are only glimpsed now by the lucky few.

Hunting of the species was finally banned with an international treaty in 1911, but by then it was too late for most of the range, which extended as far as central California. 

“The last sea otter was shot in the 1920s; 99 per cent were killed. That was it for sea otters in British Columbia,” Groc said.

It took a reintroduction program that relocated some surviving sea otters from Alaska in 1969 to bring otters back to the west coast of Vancouver Island. There are now around 7,000 sea otters in B.C. 

Groc has spent time with scientists out on the water in California’s Monterey Bay, the Tofino area and the south coast of Alaska. She has taken wildlife tours and kayaked her way to their colonies.

“It’s been many years of watching them from a distance with a very long lens to respect their life cycle,” Groc said. “But now more and more people get to see them, which is delightful, and they’re expanding their range.”

While Groc encourages people to see otters in the wild if they can, her photographs provide an excellent alternative. The book also explores what makes sea otters’ fur coats so special, explains how their voracious appetites help kelp forests thrive and demonstrates how the species is critical to every part of its ecosystem.

As scientists have discovered, sea otters get a lot of nutrition from sea urchins and love eating the larger specimens. As much as they love the spiny delicacy, sea urchins have the same mania for kelp and will eat an entire forest if not kept in check. Having sea otters in their proper place keeps kelp forests in balance, providing important fish habitat, helping combat erosion and aiding with climate regulation. 

While the ban on hunting and conservation efforts are helping sea otters get re-established on the coast, more needs to be done. Groc explained the animals are vulnerable to oil spills and to pollutants that originate on the land; protecting the ocean will help otters survive, along with all species in the marine environment.

There’s also information in the book about how humans can learn to live with sea otters and the long-term benefits of doing so, with acknowledgement they compete for the same shellfish human groups might rely on.

“They were absent for so long, so we have to learn to co-exist again,” Groc said.

Groc is thrilled to have her book launched by the Bateman Foundation, noting Robert Bateman is a hero of hers and is known for his sea otter illustrations. Another exciting aspect for her is the book’s foreword was written by sea otter advocate Dame Judy Dench and David Mills, who is the founder and owner of the British Wildlife Centre.

The virtual event starts this Thursday at 3 p.m. Ticketed registration is available for the webinar in different price ranges at batemanfoundation.org, with all funds raised supporting the foundation’s charitable work and environmental programming. 

Support mental health during difficult times

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Support mental health during difficult times

By DAVID NORGET

I have felt so many things during this unfolding time of the COVID-19 pandemic — the challenge of adjusting to the unknown; grief in what is happening in the world; care for our elderly and immunocompromised; appreciation for my own life slowing down and my own privilege when I know that there are so many in our world and in our community experiencing hardship. There are more.

As I read the news and observe comments and reactions, it seems to me that the pandemic is showing us where there are gaps in society. Some have safety nets; others do not. Disparity in income, race, ability, the haves and have-nots, is being revealed to all. I have greatly appreciated leaders like Dr. Bonnie Henry who have shown themselves to be knowledgeable, pragmatic and caring. I also appreciate how many people are coming together. There is a different kind of reaching out occurring, whether it is people reaching out to family, friends, people they haven’t contacted for a while, or building connections with complete strangers.

Many in our community have led the way to deepening connections, and these efforts are now being drawn on. The POD system is one such example, but it is far from being the only one. Then there are new community pieces. Regular reports from the Lady Minto Hospital medical staff are reassuring, both in their tone and in their leadership and concern. I believe we all feel comforted hearing how people are coming together to support and extend care.

Since 2013, the Salt Spring Health Advancement Network (SSHAN) has been paying attention to building connections. We believe that through being connected we can be stronger as a community. The health network was born seven years ago out of a physician recruitment committee and a realization that attracting GPs to the island involved creating a community that was working together around health and wellbeing. Since that time many who believe in the importance of collaboration have been dedicated to deepening this.

SSHAN’s mission is To Improve Community Health and Well-being through Networking, Advocacy, Information Sharing and Collaboration. While our focus is on issues around mental health and seniors, we note how intricately linked social determinants of health, like housing, water, recreation, and employment and income, are to overall community health and wellbeing.

In the current circumstances of COVID, SSHAN wants to let people know that there are good things happening in our community. The Emergency Operations Committee is meeting — virtually, of course — twice weekly to discuss logistics, and note and address community needs. Representatives of the school district, Ministry of Children and Family Development, Salt Spring Community Services, a doctor, public health nurse, and more, continue to meet regularly (also virtually) to discuss vulnerable children and their families.

There are a number of organizations supporting insecurely housed community members, many of whom are living with the effect of serious abuse in their past.

The Business and Farm Emergency Response and Recovery Task Force has been created and is working to improve food security and sustain local business. They are also reimagining a new and strengthened Salt Spring.

The health network is noting the stress in our community — COVID means some are thinking about life and death, there are massive adjustments to daily routines, and many are experiencing fear. Mental health is an issue. SSHAN notes that there are marginalized and vulnerable communities on our island. These include children, youth and families who have less income or where there is domestic violence/abuse, seniors and immunocompromised, frontline staff who are dealing with the risk of getting COVID-19, the less able/disabled, insecurely housed people, our Indigenous community, many in the LGBTQ+ community, and diagnosed or undiagnosed mental health individuals. It may be the calm before the storm in terms of mental health.

SSHAN was already working on a one-year mental health initiative (2020-2021), part of a five-year vision, when COVID arrived. It is now working with the Salt Spring Community Health Society to look into addressing immediate mental health needs in the community.

Given the current need, a number of mental health online and telephone services are listed below. Know that you do not need to reach a crisis point to get support. These resources are for you or someone you know who is/are feeling emotional challenges or simply wish to be proactive in your care.

SSHAN is continuing to check in with partners about the mental health concerns they have—both within their organization or for those they serve. We are currently mapping vulnerable communities, noting what supports they are receiving or gaps in service. The work of community continues.

What can you do to help? Continue to support the community health guidelines coming from Dr. Bonnie Henry. This goes a long way to supporting health and therefore community care. Look after yourself and those in your “bubble of care.” Reach out for mental health support to strengthen your wellbeing. Donate money (rather than food) to the food bank — there is a great need. Reach out, using physical distancing, to neighbours or those you think might be vulnerable; they will appreciate it. Strengthen your POD. Reach out to Salt Spring Emergency Services Emergency Program coordinator Charles Nash at ssiepc@crd.bc.ca to find out how to do this. Some PODS are very active, others non-existent. Keep staying connected. There are ways of physically distancing while connecting to neighbours and others. I note how many of our neighbours are taking regular walks and chatting together on our street.

Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Thank you to all of the local heroes who continue to contribute to a stronger Salt Spring Island!

The writer is co-chair of SSHAN, a father of two, a counsellor, an emergency mental health clinician, and a member of the community since 1989. He is grateful to live on the traditional and unceded territory of the Hul’qumi’num and Sencoten-speaking Coast Salish peoples.

MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES:

Government of Canada ‘Wellness Together Canada’ Portal Wellness Together Canada provides tools and resources to help get Canadians back on track. These include modules for addressing low mood, worry, substance use, social isolation and relationship issues, as well as free online resources, tools, apps and connections to trained volunteers and qualified mental health professionals. https://ca.portal.gs/

B.C. COVID-19 Non-Emergency Hotline through Service BC Information hotline in B.C. solely dedicated to answering non-medical questions about COVID-19. This hotline is staffed from 7:30 am to 8:00 pm every day and shares information in more than 110 languages. Call 1-888-COVID19 or 1-888-268- 4319

[unlock double spacing in this section] BC211 211 Provides free information and referral to a full range of community, social, and government services, and operates 24/7. Note the “Helplines” tab on the website for the full range of available helplines. BC 211 Safe Seniors, Strong Communities includes service for seniors 65+ and those who identify themselves as vulnerable 55+: wellness phone calls, social phone calls, grocery deliveries and prescription pick-ups Call 211 or go to http://www.bc211.ca.

Virtual Mental Health Supports During COVID-19 BC Seniors, adults, youth and frontline health care workers experiencing anxiety, depression or other mental health challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic can get help through virtual services. https://tinyurl.com/vkqsjhh

Kids’ Help Phone 24/7 free confidential professional online and telephone counselling and text-based support in English and French to youth across Canada, which now offers 24/7 support to all ages. Text WELLNESS to 741741 to be connected with a crisis responder. Visit https://kidshelpphone.ca/ for live chat. Text CONNECT to 686868 or call 1-800-668-6868

KUU-US Crisis Line Society First Nations and Aboriginal specific crisis line Available 24/7 regardless of where individuals reside in BC. KUU-US services are for First Nations, by First Nations, and all crisis response personnel are certified and trained in Indigenous cultural safety and therefore bring an understanding of First Nations history and trauma from the residential school to their roles. Toll-free 1-800-588-8717, Youth Line 250-723-2040, Adult Line 250-723-4050.

VictimLINK 24-hour multilingual phone line for victims of any crime. Offers crisis support and referrals, information on the justice system, resources, victim services. Call 1-800-563-0808.

[if separate put in boldface] Youth Space, for youth under 25. Online crisis and emotional support chat, available from 6:00-12:00 pm 365 days a year. Website: youthspace.ca

COVID-19 LGBTQAI2S+ Resource Guide Provided through Pride Vancouver. Includes many resources including for mental health. http://www.vancouverpride.ca/news///289548/covid-19_lgbtqai2s+_resource_guide_

Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of BC Distress phone services available 24/7. Confidential, nonjudgmental, free emotional support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair. Interpreters available in over 140 languages. Call: 1-800-784-2433

COVID-19 Self-Care & Resilience Guide A downloadable guide to navigating your mental health. https://www.mhfa.ca/en/blog/mental-health-first-aid-covid-19-self-care-resilience-guide

Islanders Working Against Violence 24-HOUR VIOLENCE AND ABUSE HELP LINE Call toll-free 1-877-435-7544 or (250) 537-0735; EMERGENCY call 911.

Vancouver Island Crisis Line Offers daily 6:00-10:00 pm crisis line service to Vancouver Island, the islands of the Georgia Strait, and the mainland communities between Powell River and Rivers Inlet, as defined by Island Health. Crisis workers provide short-term, non-judgmental emotional support, crisis intervention, information, and resources. Call 1-888-494-3888 (24/7) or text 250-800-3806 from your mobile.

Editorial: Reach out for mental health wellness

Driftwood Staff
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Editorial: Reach out for mental health wellness

May 4 to 10 marks Mental Health Week in Canada, coming at a time when more people than ever are suffering from anxiety, depression and substance-use issues.

From worry about one’s own physical health or the health of loved ones to stress arising from loss of income and fear of the future, COVID-19 has ramped up the triggers that can erode the mental health of even the most solid of individuals.

While it can be difficult to admit one’s mental health is suffering and to reach out for help, it is critical to break through the barrier of resistance and to seek help from qualified sources.

Knowing that COVID-19 is impacting citizens’ mental health, the federal government has created a new online portal called Wellness Together Canada. David Norget, the co-chair of the Salt Spring Health Advancement Network, has also compiled a long list of resources beyond the portal. Those range from free mental health online, video and phone-based supports through the B.C. government’s health ministry website to the Mental Health Commission’s First Aid COVID-19 Self-Care & Resilience Guide. Locally, Islanders Working Against Violence has a 24-hour violence and abuse help line, and the Vancouver Island Crisis Line is also accessible to Gulf Islanders. A complete list with links follows the online version of Norget’s opinion piece titled “Support Mental Health During Difficult Times” on the Driftwood’s website this week. 

A new local mental health fund has also just been created by a Salt Spring family affected by the tragedy of mental health struggles and suicide. The Devon James Bolton Mental Health Fund is being administered through the Salt Spring Island Foundation and is now accepting contributions. As well, the foundation is urging charitable groups to apply for money from its COVID-19 Emergency Preparedness and Relief Fund for activities that benefit islanders’ emotional and mental health.

“Good mental health is so critical to our well-being, and yet it is often dismissed as less urgent or deserving of our care and attention,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated on Monday in relation to Mental Health Week. “This leaves far too many to suffer in silence, fearing discrimination or stigma.”

With so many options for seeking help these days, suffering in silence does not have to be endured.

VAN OEVEREN, Ann

Driftwood Obituary
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VAN OEVEREN, Ann

ANN VAN OEVEREN
December 2, 1943 – April 29, 2020

Ann was born December 2, 1943, in Utrecht, The Netherlands, and passed away peacefully on April 29, 2020, on Salt Spring Island after a determined and long fight for 10 years against her cancer. She kept up her 3 times a week workout which she had done for about 40 years, even during all her chemotherapy and other treatments as she considered the people there her support group.

After completing college she accepted a job as a dental assistant and thereafter worked sales in her mother’s store of books and magazines where she met, in 1960, her future husband Robert, who delivered the merchandise 3 times a week.  By coincidence, they met unexpectedly at a film theatre where their love for each other started to blossom well into the small hours of the night, against her mother’s instructions for an early homecoming. But the marriage happened much later, on August 3, 1967, due to the unacceptable “living together unmarried” mentality of the time. Subsequently, Ann worked in a large Dutch bank where she worked herself up to Supervisor of the Stock Trading Department, until she and Robert immigrated to Canada in 1974.

After a year of leisure, she was hired by the Jim Pattison Group of Companies in their (now long deserted) car dealership on Main Street in Vancouver and subsequently worked as a loan officer for Scotiabank while studying to get her realtor’s license. When she obtained this license she went at it with great guns and in a relatively short time became an MLS Realtor in the top 5 percent of the Vancouver Real Estate Board. This lasted till their move to Salt Spring Island where Ann started working as an insurance broker for Salt Spring insurance for 5 years. The company was bought 4 years later by Seafirst Insurance Brokers where she worked in the same capacity for a further 10 years until 2014. During this time Ann’s cancer was diagnosed, which eventually lead to her passing, in a very peaceful way.

Great thanks to the various doctors and specialists, in particular Drs. Kesh Smith, Dr. Ryan, and several other doctors. Also, many thanks to the devoted medical staff at Lady Minto Hospital.

No flowers please, but a donation to the Salt Spring SPCA is greatly appreciated.

A celebration of Ann’s life will be held at a later date. Condolences can be directed to Haywards Funeral Services website:  www.haywardsfuneral.com

Fall fair and book/jewellery sale cancelled for 2020

Driftwood Staff
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Fall fair and book/jewellery sale cancelled for 2020

The Salt Spring Fall Fair and Salt Spring Literacy’s annual book and jewellery sale are the two latest casualties of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“We are following the announcement of Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer, that there will not be any mass gatherings in order to ensure that everyone in our community is safe and stays well during this pandemic,” the fall fair board of directors states in a May 1 press release. “Our fair attracts over 8,000 visitors to the grounds over the weekend and is a collective place to meet and socialize with friends and neighbours. This celebration of our community is something to look forward to but realistically the safety and well being of our guests is more important.”

The next fair will be held Sept. 18-19, 2021, when the 125th anniversary of the first fall fair on Salt Spring is celebrated.

In the meantime, the board says it is “putting together some fun ideas for fundraising that may be practical to achieve. We will keep you informed.”

Revenue generated by the annual fair helps maintain and improve the Farmers’ Institute facility for community use.

One of the groups using the institute is Salt Spring Literacy, which has also announced the cancellation of its November book and jewellery sale.

Volunteers normally begin collecting, sorting and cleaning books in April.

“We are unable to collect the books due to the need for social distancing and limiting the exchange and handling of goods,” said the SSL board of directors. “The volunteers who contribute the countless hours to make the sale possible would be put at risk should we begin collecting before it is entirely safe to do so.  Please hang on to your books as we depend on your donations. We will communicate as soon as we can coordinate a book collection in a safe manner.”

Because jewellery donations are easier to manage in a safe way, a collection bin will be available in Island Savings beginning this month.

“This bin is a safe receptacle for your treasured donations – simply drop your jewels into a hole at the top of the bin.”

SSL says the event has also been rebranded as Books and Bling sale.

 

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