During times of uncertainty, Drayton Valley residents wear their hearts on their sleeves, their front lawns, windows, and anywhere else they can show support for essential workers and their community.
“I thought it was a neat idea to get people involved,” says Christine Terry-Burghardt, who started the initiative when she created the Facebook page “Hearts from Drayton Valley.” “It’s just a small way to show that we’re thinking of everybody and it was a perfect arts and crafts activity for the kids.”
Inspired by another page based in British Columbia, Terry-Burghardt says she didn’t know what to expect when she started the page, but wanted to find a way to help brighten people’s days while everyone is socially isolating during the pandemic.
“It was very little work for what it’s become,” she says. “I just created the page, and it wasn’t even my idea, but I’m hoping to bring some positivity to [anyone] that may need it.
“I think it’s important to keep our minds busy and try to stay somewhat positive through all this.”
The page was set up March 24, and, since then, it has grown quickly to 837 members who posted roughly 300 hearts leading into the Easter long weekend.
Those who are involved have shown great passion; they appreciate the opportunity, even through such a small gesture, to show their support for essential workers.
“I put up hearts as I know lots [of people who] are front-line workers here in our community,” shared Georgia Gabrielson Frost on the Hearts from Drayton Valley page. “With what is going on in the world, having the community come together to do something special is heartwarming.
“We all come together as a community in tough times! Love our town.”
“I made a poster and put it up hoping to show my support and appreciation for all that the front-line workers are doing for us,” shared Sue Harris. “They are keeping the community going strong and we would be lost without each and every one of them.”
Heather Rennison posted that she, her husband, and two sons made an eight-foot heart that proudly stands in front of their living room window and have pledged to keep it up “until we can all HUG AGAIN!!!”
“There is NO community that is quite like our Drayton Valley!! When things get tough?? WE GET STRONGER… and we pull together!! Neighbour helping neighbour…human helping human…in ALL aspects,” Rennison added.
Inspired by the page, other community members took the initiative further, using the heart theme as a way to fundraise for the local food bank, gather material donations to make headbands for health-care workers, and collaborate with local businesses to create signs that people could purchase.
“It creates a sense of community and it shows support and strength for each other,” says Lesley Gigg, who helped design a lawn sign and window decal. “This is an unprecedented and uncertain time for everybody and just that little bit of camaraderie, if it raises everybody’s spirits, then really that’s [the goal].”
“‘Thank you’ goes a long way for anybody, but to actually see it when they drive home, or they’re driving to work, or even when they go to [the store], passing those hearts is a tremendous support to them, because this is a tough one. We’ve never been in this position before.”
– Leslie Gigg
A former health-care worker herself, and the wife of a local physician, Gigg knows all too well the weight that’s on the shoulders of front-line workers, and how any sign of appreciation can help during such a challenging time.
“It’s a huge morale boost for them, they are the front line and it’s stressful,” says Gigg, who also sits on the Pembina Physician Recruitment and Retention Committee as a representative for Claro Family Practice.
“‘Thank you’ goes a long way for anybody, but to actually see it when they drive home, or they’re driving to work, or even when they go to [the store], passing those hearts is a tremendous support to them, because this is a tough one. We’ve never been in this position before.”
Terry-Burghardt says all the hearts help keep people connected in the community.
“I don’t think that we say [thank you] enough, but this is just a small way of showing our appreciation,” she added. “We always seem to pull together in our little town, and I think people appreciate the positivity and encouragement that it’s brought to everyone.”
Did you enjoy this article?
Subscribe to the Rural Health Beat to get a positive article about rural health delivered to your inbox each week.
Oops! We could not locate your form.