Dear Residents,
I hope you're having a wonderful Easter weekend with your families. As I know this is a day many of us would normally be gathering with our friends and extended family for a holiday meal, today may be a difficult one for many and I want to ensure everyone knows they're not alone in this amazing community.
At different times through this COVID journey, every one of us may need help, regardless of age or circumstance. EPRA is grateful to have a list of people willing to volunteer and we are able to provide support in a variety of ways. It is now time for people to provide those people with the opportunity to help. Use this Elbow Park Cares Link to fill out a form and a volunteer will contact you to provide assistance.
If someone doesn't take on the job of receiving, others are unable to give. And, this neighbourhood knows from experience that we are a group of people who like to give. How about we start to view the act of asking as a way of giving?
This is a time when each one of us is vulnerable. It is time for us to gracefully accept our vulnerability, clearly define what it is we need and then, ask for help.
This is a time to shed our stoicism and our belief that being overwhelmed or emotional is a weakness. Vulnerability forges connection and the circumstances we find ourselves in right now is a perfect time for us to connect through vulnerability, become communal beings and find the joys of community.
Asking for help is difficult because
- we tell ourselves that we have it easy compared to someone else. It's easy to convince ourselves that we just need to toughen up and cope like everyone else. It's time to shed that belief.
- we are afraid of rejection and a fear of being belittled if we share our vulnerability. Trust!
- you may have experienced other people being dependent on you for help in the past and you don't want anyone else to feel resentment toward you. It's time to get over that.
- perhaps you struggle with being the centre of attention and the sense of self consciousness about talking about yourself or a problem and asking for help is uncomfortable for you. It's time to be brave.
- you might be afraid of what will be expected of you in return if you accept help. It's time to remind yourself that you have gifts that you share everyday without even knowing it. Let others share with you too.
- you may feel that you have a sense of control if you deal with things all on your own. It's time to get clear on what you need and learn how to ask for something specific.
Here are a few suggestions of what you might ask EPRA volunteers to assist you with:
- you just got groceries, either delivered or on your own, but, they didn't have vanilla. Ask us to help you get vanilla delivered to your door.
- you would like to put up a heart in your window, but, you don't have the supplies (or skill) and you'd like one delivered to your house
- you are feeling overwhelmed and feel embarrassed because everyone else seems to be coping just fine. Ask us to have a volunteer call you on a regular basis just to say hi, how are you today?
- you are having trouble with your computer or phone and would like someone to call and walk you through a solution
- you need something mailed at the post office and you've been out several times this week already and you'd like someone who is going anyway to take your package for you
- your son is teething, you're home alone and you'd like someone to bring over some Tylenol
- you would like someone to make you a cloth face mask
- you would like to join in on a Zoom session to meet new neighbours
Please reach out to ask for help at Elbow Park Cares Link or phone Jane at 403-680-9320. Any request is worthy, valued and treated with respect.
We've done this before Elbow Park. Let's Connect and do it again!
Jane Virtue
