See how Islanders are thanking front-line workers without saying a word
Sara Fraser | CBC News | Posted: April 7, 2020 3:00 PM | Last Updated: April 7, 2020
Messages of appreciation and encouragement are cropping up in some unusual places on P.E.I.
Image | PEI STRONG spelled out in round bales
Caption: Juanita Rossiter of St. Peters Bay posted this message of strength and unity using round bales on Instagram, including the hashtags #dairyfarming and #familyfarm. (Submitted by Juanita Rossiter)
Last week, first responders in the Charlottetown area paraded emergency vehicles, sirens blaring, to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Later in the week, police, fire departments and others held a similar procession between O'Leary, Alberton and Tignish.
The displays were designed to thank health-care workers for the extra time and effort they've been putting in testing and preparing for COVID-19.
"These acts of kindness mean so much," chief public health officer Dr. Heather Morrison commented during her daily briefing last Wednesday.
And many Island businesses, institutions and individuals have been coming up with sweet or clever ways to show their appreciation for essential and front-line workers such as truckers, grocery store staff and those in the province's health system.
Blaine Diamond was inspired to put together nine bales of straw on a flatbed at the edge of his farm in Winsloe, spray-painting them with "We [heart] out health-care workers." His wife is working at the new COVID-19 ICU set up at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown.
"You get thinking how serious this is," Diamond said. "I just thought I needed to do something to recognize all the people that work in health care in P.E.I. ... and across the country. You feel like you need to do something to acknowledge what they're going through."
Here's a sampling of some of the displays we've spotted, or you've sent to us at CBC P.E.I.
Image | Ken Linton
Caption: St. John's Anglican Church in Crapaud expressed the congregation's gratitude. (Ken Linton/CBC)
Image | thank you sign round bales (silage?) April 1, 2020 'We heart our health-care workers'
Caption: Potato and beef farmer Blaine Diamond of Winsloe has many family members working in health care, including his wife who works in the new COVID-19 ICU at the QEH. He made this display from nine round bales of straw and painted them 'to recognize all the people that work in health care in P.E.I. ... and across the country.' (Monty Hennessey)
Image | Heart sign - Thanks all front Line Workers sign at Confed Bridge
Caption: 'We wanted to show a little extra love to all our front-line workers in Borden-Carleton, and across the Island, who are going out to work every day so that everyone else can stay home and stay safe!' said a Facebook post by the Town of Borden-Carleton that included this photo. 'A special thanks to town employees Dennis Bernard and Arthur Gallant for your thoughtfulness.' (Town of Borden-Carleton)
Image | thanks sign on lawn in Charlottetown
Caption: Catholic nun Sister Debbie Peters put this sign on her lawn in Charlottetown offering thanks to many, from cashiers to pharmacists to musicians. (Sister Debbie Peters)
Image | We Can Do This P.E.I. sign on house
Caption: An Instagram user who goes by the handle brat87 from Cornwall posted this shot with the comment 'Yes we can.' (Submitted by brat87)
Image | Rocks painted with messages of thanks for KCMH staff
Caption: Hannah Rafuse painted these rocks for her mother's co-workers at King's County Memorial Hospital in Montague. (Dawn Fillmore)
Image | Delta Hotel and PEI Convention Centre from Stratford
Caption: The Delta Prince Edward hotel in Charlottetown is closed, but is sending out love by lighting up rooms in the shape of a heart. (Rob MacLean)