More than 150 years ago, Charles Dickens began his classic novel A Tale of Two Cities with the familiar statement that “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
That same line could be used to describe our COVID-19 context today. Because the crisis has clearly brought out both the best and the worst in our society.
On the downside, we’ve all seen pictures of the lineups outside the big box stores in an almost Dickensian panic. People in faux despair, determined to hoard everything.
From toilet paper and hand sanitizer to staples such as flour, sugar and yeast.
We’ve also read the dystopian stories of people who are militantly defying personal distancing guidelines. They’re partying it up, apparently on the assumption that the higher their blood alcohol content, the better their immunity from the virus.
And we’ve also seen increasing generational divides, with the introduction of the term “Boomer Remover” as a descriptor of the virus. Apparently in the minds of some people, it’s acceptable — even beneficial — to rid society of the aged because presumably, they’re a drain on our resources.
But this crisis has also brought out the best in many people. In my geographic context — the northern half of the Cowichan Valley — I’ve seen and experienced dozens of stories of amazing selflessness.
Last week, a local grocery wholesaler donated — anonymously — two pallets of frozen meat to programs that feed those most impacted by the crisis: The homeless, kids who are missing out on school lunch programs, and others who traditionally rely on our local food banks for help.
Another local business dug through a warehouse and found more than 2,000 surgical masks, which were promptly — and again, anonymously — donated to front-line health-care workers.
There’s a grocery store in Chemainus — where I live — that is providing daily grocery deliveries to those who are self-isolating. Those orders are packed up every morning by volunteers for distribution in the community.
In pre-COVID times, the store would generally get fewer than 10 delivery orders per day. Now, they’re doing close to 100, which is why they need the volunteer help.
The volunteers who are assembling the orders are mostly seniors who, while adhering to physical distancing principles as they pick those orders from store shelves, are also eager to get out of isolation and contribute to their community.
As a show of thanks to those volunteers, the store gave each of them a $50 gift card last week. And you know what? Many of those volunteers promptly approached local charities with those cards, offering to “re-gift” them to those who are truly in need.
All of which is to say, we live in an amazing community. And while I’m tempted to trumpet the notion that these positive stories are exclusive to the Cowichan Valley, I know that’s not true.
The Rapid Relief Fund has shown once again that many of us, irrespective of where we live, operate on the fundamental notion that “it is better to give than to receive.” The fund has generated about $4 million in donations from all over the Island, and the fact that some of this money is now being distributed outside of the capital region is clear evidence that we are all one community.
King Solomon is considered, in both the Jewish and Christian traditions, to be the wisest man who ever lived. And thousands of years ago, he wrote something that looks — much like the famous Dickens quote above — to be very apropos to the times we live in.
“One gives freely, yet grows all the richer,” he wrote. “Another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.”
So if you know in your heart that you should “do something,” but you haven’t gotten around to it yet, go online to rapidrelieffund.ca.
It’s a quick, simple, and effective way to tip the scales. While this is a difficult period for us all, when historians are called upon to sum up COVID-19, it would be nice to have them reference not only the pandemic itself, but also the fact that in terms of community generosity, these were indeed “the best of times.”
HOW TO DONATE
Tax receipts will be issued. If you are open to receiving your tax receipt by PDF, please include an email address with your donation.
• Online: RapidReliefFund.ca
• Phone: 250-381-5532
• Mail: Send cheques (made out to the Victoria Foundation) to RapidRelief Fund, Victoria Foundation, 200-703 Broughton St., Victoria V8W 1E2
The Rapid Relief Fund was created by the Victoria Foundation, the Jawl Foundation, and the Times Colonist to help people in need as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. CHEK Television, Coast Outdoor Advertising and Black Press are helping to boost awareness. Every dollar received from donations goes out as grants to the community.
Donations are being distributed through the Victoria Foundation.
