Finding the Balance
By Cathy Wolf
It has been a difficult and challenging month for us all. Recognizing that we live in a vulnerable community demands that we put our best efforts into keeping it safe, healthy, and responsive. The balancing act of keeping our spirit of independence and self-sufficiency along with strong community support demands that we bring reason and common sense to our efforts.
The touchstones that have been built over many years in Eagle Bay are evident. We respect individual choices and opportunities. We value the beauty and wonder of the natural world we have chosen to live in. We come together to respond to community issues and needs. We are open and flexible to changing circumstances. We respond with care and interest to others in need. And while we are not through the latest challenge, there is still much to know and much to learn, those touchstones remain. How we take them up in the coming months will be important to reaffirming our decision to be a part of the Shuswap Community.
The Community Association will be focusing on health and safety issues over the next months. While there will be time for socializing and celebrations, we also want to bring support for our First Responders and seniors by offering a series of short workshops that focus on home care and first aid. We will also be connecting with local health agencies to brings their messages and support networks into homes and areas in Eagle Bay. Our generator will be installed this fall so that we can provide both a “warming centre” for those in need this winter and a “cooling centre” in the summer. We want to solicit your thoughts on how the hall can best serve the community. We now have expanded kitchen and bathroom facilities. We have meeting space and a community library. What else can we do? Who else needs to be involved?
Your support for our bottle depot has been invaluable in providing funding to address operational issues such as insurance and heating. Please keep them coming. We want to offer as many free and low-cost activities as we can manage as well. We have a dedicated group of directors who are also working hard to organize and direct the work of the Association. Talk to any one of them if you are interested in volunteering for our community activities. We will also be working on making our hall and bottle depot more fire resistant We have funding from the CSRD to replace the vinyl siding on the hall and bottle shed with Hardie Board to make it safer for us all. That work will be taken up this fall. There will be no need to close the hall or disrupt events.
The Community Association will continue to work toward finding the balance that is critical to life in the Shuswap. We want to do what we can address community needs and keep the spirit of our community. Please join with us.
