The Orleans Star Apr. 2, 2020

April 2, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 21

Next edition April 16

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COVID-19 pandemic hits close to home

By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star (UPDATE: Since this publication went to press on March 31, there has been seven confirmed cases at the Promenade, the initial three cases unfortunately passed away, one has recovered, one is in hospital and two are stable.)

The COVID-19 pandemic reared its ugly head last week in the most unlikely of places – against the most vulnerable in our community.

News that two residents at the Promenade Retirement Community had tested positive for the virus and were being treated in hospital was brought to light by Ottawa’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Vera Etches, during a tele-press conference on Friday.

The two residents were a husband and wife living at the residence. They were admitted to hospital earlier in the week after exhibiting symptoms of the virus and were continuing to receive care as of Monday morning.

In response to the situation, Alavida Lifestyles, which manages the residence, followed the directions of Ottawa Public Health to isolate the remaining residents in their rooms for a minimum of 14 days and closely monitor them for any sign of symptoms including a dry cough, aches and pains and a fever.

They also took operational measures that include a strict screening process for staff members, including regular temperature checks, and the need for staff members to wear protective clothing when interacting with the residents in their rooms.

According to a memo sent to family members and obtained by the Orléans Star, the residents will be receiving tray service for their meals three times a day, during which the staff will be checking in on them to see how they are doing and address any concerns they might have.

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COVID-19 pandemic hits close to home Continued from page 1 The residents are also being encouraged to take part in fitness classes in their doorways. The exercises, which are led by staff members, are meant to ensure the residents remain active during their isolation which the memo states could go beyond 20 days.

At present, OPH has no plans to test the residents or the staff for the COVID-19 virus. Instead, testing will only be done on residents and staff members when and if they start to exhibit any symptoms.

There are over 100 residents living at the Promenade, which instituted a nonessential visitor ban on March 16 following the directions of the Public Health Agency of Canada. Just like at every other senior care facility in the province of Ontario, the ban includes family members which has been extremely difficult on both the residents and their family members.

In order to maintain contact with their loved ones, some have been communicating with them through their windows using large handmade signs.

Regular phone calls and video chatting through services like Skype are also a

popular way of communicating, but as one parent told the Orléans Star, it’s not the same as seeing them in person.

The level of anxiety the ban has caused is an issue at every retirement residence and senior care facility in the province.

Residents don’t know when they will see their family members again and vice versa. Meanwhile, staff members and management are increasingly fearful of a potential outbreak in their facility.

That fear became a reality at the Promenade and the staff and management are doing the best they can to look after the residents while keeping their family informed on a daily basis. Family members contacted by the Star have been unanimous in their praise of staff and management in regards to how they are dealing with the situation.

Although some are quietly questioning why Ottawa Public Health didn’t bother to test the other residents, they realize the decision is out of the hands of Alavida Lifestyles, which manages the residence,.

For now, the family members of the remaining residents are hopeful the virus has been contained.

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Orléans resident happy to be home after escaping Peru

By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star It was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime when Orléans teacher Amelia Alie left for Peru on March 7 with her boyfriend Alex. The couple had been looking forward to hiking through the Andes and visiting Machu Picchu. But what started out as the trip of a lifetime turned into a nightmare, thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“We were having dinner at a restaurant on the Sunday and we were planning to try to get tickets the next day to come home and our waiter came by and said you need to finish up right now because we’re closing and everything is being shut down. It was insane,” says Alie, who is back in Orléans now and just starting her 14 days of self-isolation which is mandatory for all travelers re-entering the country.

The pair returned to the hostel they were staying at in Cusco and tried to purchase plane tickets to get back to Canada with no success. The next morning, they decided they might have better luck at the airport, but it had already been placed on lockdown as was the hostel they were staying in.

To add insult to injury, it was the same day they were supposed to visit the legendary Machu Pichu, but it wasn’t to be.

Since they could no longer stay at the hostel, they decided to move into a guesthouse with a colleague who was already visiting from Canada. The trio ended up sharing a room together for the next four days while trying to find a way out of Peru.

“We began seeking out numbers and e-mails immediately,” says Alie. “At the beginning, it was very frustrating because we weren’t getting any response from the Canadian government at all. We were instructed that we would have to just wait out the two-week quarantine.

“I don’t think anyone really understood the gravity of the situation in Peru. They completely shut down the entire country.

You were not able to move from place to place at all. There were no buses running.

There were no internal flights. There were no options for us.”

When the lockdown started in Peru there were more than 4,000 Canadians in the country, Over 3,600 expressed a desire to come back to Canada. Of that number, only 1,400 had been extricated as of Sunday, March 29.

On the afternoon of Thursday, March 26, the trio received an e-mail from the Canadian government that a chartered plane was being sent to bring Canadians from Lima to Toronto. Tickets for the

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Amelia Alie and her boyfriend Alex sharing a happier moment in Peru before the coronavirus interrupted their vacation. PHOTO SUPPLIED charter were made available at 3:30 p.m. and they were sold out within three minutes. Through a stroke of good fortune, the trio managed to secure three of the tickets, but they still needed to get from Cusco to Lima.

“Even that process was insane. They didn’t send us any confirmation, so we weren’t sure whether there would be a flight Open daily to Lima. So the next morning, we went to 6am the airport at to 5:306pm a.m., where we had to wait outside the airport with about 300 other Canadians who were in Cusco for several

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hours before getting on one of two planes that were sent. Looking back, it was kind of like being in a movie,” says Alie.

The trio eventually got to Lima and made it on one of the flights to Toronto where they had to rent a car to drive back to Ottawa. All told the emergency exit from Peru cost them about $2,000 each.

Money well spent to be able to spend the next two weeks in self isolation in their own homes and in their own beds.

“I’m so grateful to be back in Canada,” says a relieved Alie.

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April 2, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 21 • 3

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4 • April 2, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 21

Giving thanks It’s been just over two and a half weeks since the creeping shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic reached our fair city. One day I was sitting in my favourite restaurant laughing and joking with some friends and the next day Ontario Public Health announced its social distancing campaign. Two days later, they ordered all restaurants should be closed except for take-out and delivery orders only.

For a lot of people, day turned into night in heartbeat. Over a hundred businesses in Orléans are now closed and over 2,000 people have been left scrambling to apply for unemployment insurance after being laid off – and that’s just a rough estimate.

There isn’t a single business in Orléans that hasn’t been impacted by the pandemic. Restaurants, bars, gyms and travel agencies have been especially hard hit. Across the country, a number of community newspapers have been forced to stop printing, the victims of a massive drop in revenue.

Like many other papers, the Orléans Star and it’s sister paper the L’Orléanais have been hit by a drop in revenue as businesses have been forced to close. To counter-balance the drop in revenue, the two papers are fortunate to have a number of advertisers who are able to continue to offer their support so that we can continue to keep our readers informed. We owe a huge debt of gratitude the Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario, the Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est, Caisse Desjardins Ontario Credit Union, Revera Retirement Living, Tamarack Homes and Riverstone Retirement Communities who all running ads in this week’s paper.

Others we wish to thank are Pantry Plus, Distinctive Bathrooms and Kitchens and Millennium Floor Covering. All three have been advertising in the Orléans Star for a number of years. Pantry Plus is offering a curbside pickup service during the current situation and Millennium is continuing to provide consultations and free estimates over the phone. Unfortunately, Distinctive Bathrooms and Kitchens has been forced to suspend its operations until the provincial nonessential services ban is lifted.

We also would like to thank our Business Directory clients: Innes Kitchen & Bath, Mobile Kitchen & Reno, the Poop Squad, Brunton Canine Services, Orléans Pro Painters, The Affordable Handyman, Landriault Plumbing and Church of God International.

And we especially want to thank our local politicians, all of whom stepped up to the plate to ensure we were able to publish a newspaper this week. Last, but by no means least, we want to thank Camps Canada, Grapevine, Bearbrook Game Meat, Fruits Express, Precision Automotive, Confisserie Mondoux and all the restaurants listed on pages 8 and 9.

These are trying times for everyone. The job of this paper – like any other community newspaper – still able to publish is to keep our readers informed of the changing world in which we now find ourselves. All we ask is that you support those businesses who support us in any way you can.

– Fred Sherwin, editor

Fredrick C. Sherwin, Editor & Publisher fsherwin@orleansstar.ca The Orléans Star is a bi-weekly publication distributed to 44,000 residences in Blackburn Hamlet, Orléans and Navan. The newspaper is locally owned and operated by Sherwin Publishing Inc., 745 Farmbrook Cres., Orléans, ON. Inquiries and delivery issues should be sent to info@orleansstar.ca.

By staying connected, we will get through this together During these difficult and uncertain times, I felt friends and family. I’d love to hear how you’re it important to touch base with you all. Covid-19 all doing! Feel free to share a video, message, has significantly impacted our way of life. or photo with me on Facebook/LalondeMF, Self-isolation, social distancTwitter @mflalonde, and ing, and physical distancing Instagram @Lalondemf) are all regularly used additions Lastly, I implore you to to our vocabulary. please stay home, wash Everyone is experiencing your hands often, don’t go this crisis differently. Many out unless necessary, and are facing job losses, financontinue to practice physical cial hardship or illness, while distancing.

Marie-France Lalonde far too many remain stranded If you are feeling sick or abroad. We’re all adjusting, as we each do our feel as if you need to speak with someone, do not part to combat the spread of COVID-19. hesitate to call 2-1-1 or Ottawa Public Health at Our community is one that comes together 613-580-9656. when in counts. I call on everyone to try to find We are here to support you and inform you on new ways to stay in touch and support one anoth- the measures the Federal government is putting er from isolation. in place to help you go through this crisis. Please I invite you to share with me how you’re reach out if you have any questions. staying active and keeping in touch with your We’ll get through this together.

Commons Corner

www.orleansstar.ca issuu.com/orleans facebook/orleansstar

Blood tests will help lead us back to a state of normalcy Mass COVID-19 testing is a waste of time and resources. I know this goes against everything we’ve been hearing on CNN and the CBC News, but hear me out. The statement, as provocative as it is, is based on a conversation I recently had with a friend of mine who is a member of Canada’s scientific research community.

Although my friend is not personally involved in the COVID-19 research, she is in regular contact with those who are and she has been asked to provide input into some of their work.

The reason why mass testing is a waste of time and resources, besides the fact that we just don’t have enough tests, is that the test will either indicate you’re positive for the virus or negative.

If the test indicates you are positive, then you are very likely already exhibiting symptoms. If you are among the low risk group – being under 60 with no underlying health conditions – then you will be told to stay home and ride out the virus, which you should have been doing in the first place before you wasted a test on yourself.

If the test comes out negative, meaning you don’t have the virus at the time you were tested, it doesn’t mean that you are immune from contracting the virus the next day or the day after that.

Up Front Fred Sherwin Mass testing is great for collecting and gathering data, but it is also a highly expensive and inefficient way to find out who among us is asymptomatic.

The reason why it is inefficient is based on the inability to conduct mass testing on the scale necessary to be effective. The next time someone says we need mass testing ask them to define “mass”. Take Ottawa for example. To adequately mass test you need to test everyone at once. If you only test one half of the city and then go to test the other half, all those who tested negative could still contract the virus from those in the other half of the city and community spread starts all over again.

The other issue is practicality. How do we conduct mass testing when the masses are self-isolating in their houses? Go door to door?

The limited number of tests we have

should only be used on front-line health care workers and those within the highrisk groups as soon as they start exhibiting symptoms and before the symptoms develop into viral pneumonia.

Many of us will eventually contract the COVID-19 virus before a vaccine is available in a year or so. We will become ill, suffer through the symptoms and get better. Along the way, we will develop our own immunity. Having immunity will be like a super power. You will no longer have to fear spreading the virus to others. How liberating would that be?

It’s also an undeniable fact that the more people who become immune, the safer the rest of the population will be. The key is in trying to find out who has immunity especially among individuals who were asymptomatic and are no longer contagious.

It is also highly useful to know whether or not you just had the COVID-19 virus or a bad cold. The symptoms for both are almost identical, but if you just had the flu you can still contract the COVID-19 virus. If you had the virus you are now immune.

There is a team of researchers in Canada who are working on a blood test that will identify individuals who already had the virus and are therefore immune from spreading it to others. The blood test will

be much easier to administer and way cheaper than the nasal swab test being used to identify the COVID-19 virus.

The test is the brainchild of a virologist named Florian Krammer from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. It identifies a spike in certain proteins in the blood that are an identifier for COVID-19.

The purpose of Krammer’s research was, and still is, to develop a serum that could be used in the treatment of the virus. But there is a major side benefit. The survivors of a disease keep antibodies for that particular viral pathogen in their blood which makes them immune from future infections. How long they are immune varies from virus to virus. But the blood test can be used to identify those who had the COVID-19 virus and are now immune, meaning they can no longer spread the virus to others. This will become immensely important to know once they start lifting the current restrictions.

Kramer’s lab published the methods for the blood test on March 18. Within three days, 50 labs around the world including here in Canada had requested the fragment of viral RNA he used to make the spike protein and samples of the spike protein itself, which he sent to them. Researchers are hopeful to have the method refined enough to start testing by mid-April.

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April 2, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 21 • 5

Opening 2020 in Orléans

Up to date COVID-19 information We all need to do our part – stay available through variety of sources home, stay healthy and stay safe In what seems like a short period of Their website is ontario.ca/page/2019time, our whole world has changed with novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov. Their Twitter the spread of Novel Coronavirus, or account is @ONThealth and their Facebook COVID-19. page is www.facebook.com/ONThealth/.

The situation is evolving rapidly, and The Health Canada / Public Health medical health officials Agency of Canada and all levels of governwebsite can be found ment are providing daily at www.canada.ca/en/ updates for residents and public-health/services/ businesses based on the diseases/2019-novellatest findings. coronavirus-infection.

With this column, I html. Their Twitter handle Innes Ward 2 wanted to share with you is @GovCanHealth and website links where you will find factual, their Facebook page is www.facebook. regularly updated information to help com/Healthy Cdns/ guide you through this pandemic.

It is completely normal for events like Ottawa Public Health is the foremost these to be stressful. Do not hesitate to authority for our city on COVID-19. Its contact the Ottawa Distress Centre at 613website and social media platforms are 238-3311 if you need to talk to someone. a source of important information about They are there to help. what physical or social distancing means, I know this is a difficult time for many; mental health resources, and what the I want you to know that you are not alone. current situation is like in Ottawa.

While we all have been encouraged to For the OPH website visit ottawa maintain physical distancing, we can publichealth.ca/coronavirus. make an effort to reach out and check on Their twitter account is @ottawahealth one-another regularly. and their Facebook page can be found at Pick up the phone, have a group www,facebook.com/ottawahealth/. video-chat or say hello from afar. As The Ontario Ministry of Health is a community, we will get through this another excellent source of information. together.

Laura Dudas

I want to take a moment and thank workers who put themselves at risk on the everyone again who’s been doing their front lines as we fight COVID-19. part in physical distancing. It’s been During this time, it is so important difficult for many of us, but we’re all in that we stay informed and stay home. My this together and I can promise you that team and I have been working to ensure it IS making a difference. the latest information The more we can flatten released is readily availthe curve and prevent our able on my website. I am health care system from also sending out regular being overwhelmed, the newsletters packed with better we will all come the latest releases and out on the other end.

Beacon Hill-Cyrville Ward 11 information. You can People are working view all the information very hard every day in our community to and also sign up for the newsletter at keep the economy going and to provide timtierneyottawa.ca. us the essentials we need to make it On my Facebook, you can find a daily through day to day. I want to ask you all to vlog with a quick recap of the day’s continue supporting our local businesses new information and silver linings. I am but to remember the recommendations of always happy to stay connected with the our public health officials to only go out community, share the good things going when necessary. When you do, we also ask on, and doing shout outs for members of that you keep to a safe distance and respect our com-munity going above and beyond. other people’s safety.

All in all, it’s up to us to flatten the The city passed a motion on March 25 curve and #STAYHOME. I know it’s that Wednesday evenings between 6:30 not easy for everyone to stay in, as well p.m. and 6:45 p.m., be a dedicated time as our worries for those of us and those to step outside (while respecting social in our homes who are essential workers. distancing) and cheer, shout, clap or play Take advantage of the local businesses, an instrument to make some noise to say grocery stores and delivery services for thank you to our healthcare and essential your needs.

Tim Tierney

Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre The Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre is operating on an as needed basis over the telephone. Our current programs and services are cancelled until further notice. However, we are available to connect over email or telephone to help; reduce isolation, refer residents to emergency services, crisis intervention and support. We are currently delivering frozen meals and transportation for Seniors. Our resource and referral team can offer; emergency food, baby items and bus vouchers. Please stay home and call the centre if you or somebody you know needs additional support during the covid-19 pandemic.

Transportation and Meals on Wheels for seniors call 613-741-6025 ext 300 Crisis line for women victims of violence 24/7 # 613-745-4818

6 • April 2, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 21

& Orléans-Cumberland Community Resource Centre Following the recent announcements regarding the ongoing COVID-19 threat, the OCCRC asks that you NOT TO VISIT the premises. If you are required to access their services please call their office at 613-830-4357. Among the canceled activities and services are the EarlyON Child and Family Centre; Income Tax Clinics; Parenting in Ottawa Clinics;Child and Youth Programs; Adult Social Group; Collective Kitchen; Contact North and Hearing Tests.

The Orleans-Cumberland Food Bank is providing a curbside pickup service by appointment only.

Arrangements can be made by calling the Food Bank coordinator at 613-830-4357 ext 158.

Monetary donations to the Food Bank can be made online at www.crcoc.ca/en/donate-or-fundraise-your-way/ Child and Youth Counsellors available via phone at 613-830-4357.

Intake services available via phone at 613-830-4357

This messaging was sponsored by Orléans Ward councilor Matt Luloff.

For information on city services during the COVID-19 crisis call 613-580-2471.

Coronavirius taking a heavy toll on local businesses

By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star While area residents practice social distancing and self isolation in the battle against COVID-19, local businesses and a myriad of laid off workers from the retail and restaurant sectors are bearing the brunt of the pandemic’s economic impact.

At last count, more than 100 businesses have been forced to close their doors until further notice and thousands of people have been laid off indefinitely as a result.

The provincial state of emergency impacted non-essential businesses from gyms and hair salons to furniture stores and barbershops.

Kayleigh Stroz is the owner of the Wild & Free hair salon on Innes Road.

She closed her doors on March 17 to protect her 17 employees and their clients from any possible transmission.

“There is so much uncertainty and there are so many unanswered questions like how are we going to pay our bills and how are we going to pay our rent, but what it really came down to is the safety of our staff and our clients,” says Stroz who also considered her staff’s ability to start collecting unemployment insurance sooner rather than later. “The earlier we made the decision to close, the earlier they could apply for EI.”

Jonny Canuck’s was one of the first businesses to close its doors on March 16, laying off 80 employees in the process including the staff at their south end location which they also had to close.

Like other small businesses which had to make the same decision, it was not an easy one.

“There was more and more talk about social distancing and looking at our sales we thought we would try and get ahead of the curve in terms of allowing our people to get EI. So we paid them out and got all of their Records of Employment done so they wouldn’t have to wait,” says Jonny Canuck’s owner Jon Raynaert.

A number of other restaurants decided to stay open and offer takeout and delivery services with reduced hours, but they too had to layoff a majority of their staff.

Fernando Diniz, the owner of Caravela Restaurante on Innes Road had to lay off everyone except his head chef. He’s doing takeout and delivery more to keep himself busy and to continue to provide food to his customers than to make any money.

Between his rent, hydro and other fixed costs he is still losing money.

The same is true for many other restaurants which have rent due at the end of the month.

A number of business owners the

Orléans Star talked to said they’ve tried to reach out to landlords to see if they could defer their rent payment to next month and have heard nothing back.

The federal government has announced two assistance packages for small business owners during the past two weeks.

The first allows them to apply for a loan of up to $100,000 from the Business Development Bank of Canada. The loan comes with a five-year term but the first six months are interest-free. The second measure would provide interest-free loans of up to $40,000 to be paid back within a year.

The problem, according to Raynaert, is that many businesses already have existing debt so the loans would just get them further in the hole. Interest free or not they still have to be paid back.

Another measure that has been introduced by the federal government to great fanfare is wage assistance whereby the federal government will cover 75 per cent of their staff’s wages. But that would assume the businesses haven’t laid off their employees already, or they’re doing enough business to retain anyone.

In most cases, if they’re still open, the business is being run by the owner and a family member.

There are some businesses like takeout

restaurants and auto repair shops that could benefit from having 75 per cent of their payroll covered, but they are few and far between. The biggest beneficiary of the wage subsidy will be the grocery stores which still have large numbers of employees on the payroll.

What many small business owners really need is help with their rent payments, which in most cases is their single biggest singe expense. Having the federal government cover their rent for one or two months could mean the difference between staying in business or having to declare bankruptcy.

As one business owner explained, it would be a lot cheaper for the government to cover the cost of his rent then it would be for the government to pay himself and his employees EI for nine months and lose all the income tax revenue along with it, should he have to close his business for good.

For now small business owners in Orléans are hanging on as best they can under an increasing amount of anxiety and stress.

As another business owner who was forced to close explained, “I had a $5 million business valuation brought to zero in a matter of a few days – 20 plus years of building it up and it’s all gone.”

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April 2, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 21 • 7

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April 2, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 21 • 9

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Up to $300 more per child for parents through the Canada Child Benefit.

Providing a one-time special payment by early May through the Goods and Services Tax credit for low- and modest-income families. The average additional benefit will be close to $400 for single individuals and close to $600 for couples.

No need to apply for this payment. If you are eligible, you will get it automatically.

If you expect to receive benefits under the Goods and Services Tax credit or the Canada Child Benefit, we encourage you to not delay your 2019 return filing to ensure that your entitlements are properly determined.

Notre gouvernement prend des mesures immédiates et décisives pour aider les Canadiens à traverser cette période difficile.

GET THE FACTS:

Canada.ca/coronavirus

•

10 • April 2, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 21

TPS & ACE

•

RENSEIGNEZ-VOUS :

Canada.ca/le-coronavirus

Nous versons 300 $ de plus par enfant par l’intermédiaire de l’Allocation canadienne pour enfants (ACE) pour 20192020. Environ 550 $ de plus pour une famille moyenne.

Nous verserons un paiement spécial unique d’ici le début du mois de mai par l’intermédiaire du crédit pour la taxe sur les produits et services pour les familles à revenu faible ou modeste. La prestation supplémentaire moyenne sera de près de 400 $ pour les personnes seules et de près de 600 $ pour les couples. Il n’est pas nécessaire de présenter une demande pour recevoir ce paiement. Si vous êtes y admissible, vous l’obtiendrez automatiquement.

Si vous prévoyez recevoir des prestations du crédit pour la taxe sur les produits et services ou de l’Allocation canadienne pour enfants, nous vous encourageons à ne pas retarder la production de votre déclaration de 2019 afin de vous assurer que vos droits sont bien déterminés.

(613) 834-1800 GET THE FACTS:

Canada.ca/coronavirus

marie-france.lalonde@parl.gc.ca RENSEIGNEZ-VOUS :

Canada.ca/le-coronavirus

Community resource centre bracing for increase in demand

By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star As stated on its website, the mission of the Orléans-Cumberland Community Resource Centre is to meet “the physical, emotional, social, economic and mental needs of English-speaking and Frenchspeaking residents of Orléans-Cumberland and surrounding areas.”

That mission is going to be strained to the limit over the coming days and weeks as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaks havoc on the local community which the Resource Centre serves.

According to executive director Luc Ouellette, there has only been a minor uptick in demand for services, mostly for emergency food supplies through the OCCRC’s food bank, but he expects that will change.

“We’re seeing a slight increase and we’re seeing an increase in new people that we haven’t seen before, but we’re following the situation very closely because we know this is just the beginning,” says Ouellette.

The food bank has shifted from a walkin service to a curbside hamper service by appointment only. They have also doubled the amount of food people can get from one week’s worth of groceries to two

weeks. The extra allotment combined with an expected increase in demand means the food bank will be more dependent than ever on donations from the local community.

But it doesn’t end there. The Resource Centre has already been forced to cancel its annual golf tournament in June, which last year raised more than $25,000.

To make matters even worse, the suspension of the school year means St. Peter High School won’t be able to hold its annual Canley Cup food drive this year The food drive is a major contributer to the food bank. Last year, the students and staff at St. Peter collected over 40,000 food items and more than $10,000 in monetary donations. That’s a huge void that will need to be filled for the Resource Centre to continue to carry out its mission.

Ouellette is confidant an increase in local donations combined with an increase in donations to the Ottawa Food Bank, which supplies the local food banks, and the recent contribution of $200 million by the government of Ontario to the community and social services sector that includes the food banks, will help make up the difference.

“We are already seeing an increase in donations,” says Ouellette. “People are re-

The Orléans Cumberland Community Resource Centre has been busy preparing for a potential increase in clients resulting from the fallout of the COVID-19 crisis. FILE PHOTO sponding, but we could always use more.”

The two local Sobeys stores recently donated over $2,550 in food items and gift cards. Individual donations can be made through the OCCRC’s website at www. crcoc.ca Besides the food bank, the Resource Centre also offers support for residents who find themselves in crisis brought on through anxiety or depression.

Ouellette says the OCCRC is expecting an increase in people struggling with anxiety given the number of local businesses that have been forced to close and the layoffs that have resulted. The level of anxiety will likely increase as the period of self isolation and physical distancing continues indefinitely.

Anyone needing assistance should call 613-830-4357.

Stay home | Practice physical (social) distancing OttawaPublicHealth.ca/PhysicalDistancing

April 2, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 21 • 11

Do your part to stop the spread of COVID-19

Canotek gym launches online challenge to help local businesses

12 • April 2, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 21

By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star When 180-Degree Fitness owner Adrian Delorey was forced to close his Canotek Park gym as part of the Ontario provincial government’s order to close non-essential businesses, it took him all of a minute to decide to offer his workouts online but with a twist.

Rather than just provide workouts via live streaming, Delorey decided it to create a 21-day fundraising challenge with online workouts, cooking lessons and other nutritional support and mindset training.

The name of the challenge is “Stronger Together, Harder to Kill”. The official start date was Sunday, March 29, but participants can join anytime by registering online at 180fitness.ca/page/strongertogether/.

The challenge is open to 180 Fitness members and non-members alike. All that’s required is a donation.

Half of all the money donated will be used to purchase gift certificates from local businesses. The gift certificates will be given out as prizes to the participants who take part in all the workouts and undergo transformative change. The other half of the money will be used to help Delorey make ends meet while the gym

remains closed.

As of Saturday morning, more than 730 people had signed up for the challenge, 400 of which are 180 Fitness members.

Together they have donated more than $3,000.

Delorey considers himself incredibly fortunate during these difficult times. He’s also abundantly aware that other business owners aren’t as fortunate.

“Even though we’re closed we haven’t had a single cancellation. In fact, some people have even renewed their memberships,” says Delorey.

Besides live-streamed workshops, participants in the challenge will also have access to nutritional meal plans, workout routines that can be downloaded and mindset coaching sessions.

Delorey will also be hosting daily noon hour coffee podcasts with his girlfriend and former Miss Universe Canada and So You Think You Can Dance Canada contestant Julie Gauthier.

“We’ll be talking about all kinds of things like mindset issues, nutrition, how to stay active during self isolation. We’ll even throw in a few cooking lessons and answer some online questions,” says Delorey who is no stranger to hardship and adversity.

Adrian Delorey and Julie Gauthier are co-hosting a noon-hour coffee talk podcast as part of the ‘Stronger Together, Harder to Kill’ challenge.

In October 2016, a fire forced him to abandon the gym for several months while it was rebuilt. During that time he didn’t skip a beat.

Much like he’s doing now, Delorey pivoted to providing his members with online workouts, training and nutritional advice. During the six months the gym was closed, he only lost a handful ofclients

which was made up by new members.

By the time he reopened, he had more members than he had before the fire.

Delorey is confident he will be able to ride out the COVID-19 outbreak with the help and support of his current members and clients and in the process help his fellow small business owners get through the crisis.

Faites votre part pour ralentir la propagation de la COVID-19 Restez à la maison Pratiquez la distanciation physique (sociale) SantePubliqueOttawa.ca/DistanciationPhysique

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Former Tiger named CIS second team All-Canadian

Brooklyn McAlear-Fanus was recently named a second team AllCanadian after completing her fifth and final year with the University of Ottawa Gee-Gee’s. PHOTO TIM AUSTEN / THE CHARLATON

By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star Former St. Matthew Tiger Brooklynn McAlear-Fanus became only the third Ottawa Gee-Gee female basketball player to receive All-Canadian honours last month when she was named to the Second Team of All Canadians for 2019-2020.

The fifth-year Gee-Gees point guard led the nation in assists this past season and was a First Team OUA All-Star for the second year in a row. She ranked eighth in the league in scoring with 15.8 points per game in addition to her nation-leading 6.8 assists per game.

As her Gee-Gees career comes to an end, McAlear-Fanus established a new team record for assists in a career – 424.

She surpassed the one hundred assist mark in each of the last three seasons with a career high of 135 this season.

As the team’s point guard and ball distributer, McAlear-Fanus was instru-

mental in her team setting a new school record of 78.5 points per game.

In addition to her scoring and assists, she also set career highs in field goal percentage (40.8) and three-point percentage (33.8).

Defensively, McAlear-Fanus was fifth in the conference in steals per game at 2.1, and set a career high with 6.8 rebounds per game. She also recorded Gee-Gee’s first ever triple-double with 19 points, 13 assists, and 10 rebounds on Jan. 18 against Ontario Tech at Montpetit Hall.

McAlear-Fanus’s ball distribution abilities allowed the Gee-Gees to lead the OUA in field goal percentage, and score a team record 78.5 points per game.

The Gee-Gees, with final regular season record of 18-4.

Unfortunately, the Gee-Gees hopes of reaching the CIS U-Sports Final 8 came to a premature end when they lost to the Ryerson Rams in the OUA semi-finals.

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April 2, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 21 • 13

Proud supporters

Orleans Bengals football club undergoes rebranding process STAR STAFF – The Orleans Bengals Football Club is now the Orléans Minor Football Association after the organization recently under-went a rebranding process lead by its new president Qasim Khan.

Khan, whose roots with the Bengals date back to his days playing with the Gloucester Dukes in the late 90s and early 2000s, replaces the club’s former president George Zigoumis who will remain on the board of directors as club ambassador and past president.

Along with the organizational name change, the club’s U18 midget team will also have a new name. The Orleans Raftsmen will henceforth be called the Orleans Fighting Maroons.

The name is rooted in Canada’a AfroCaribbean past. The Fighting Maroons was the name attributed to a militia company that was formed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1796 among a group Jamaican exiles known as the Jamaica Maroons.

The Maroon community was settled in Preston, Nova Scotia where they remained until 1800 when they were relocated to Sierra Leone after petitioning the British Government for transport and provisions.

The Fighting Maroons will also have a new head coach with Jean Guillaume being brought in to replace Ron Raymond.

Guillaume has been the head coach at St. Matthew High School for the past number of years, leading the Tigers to a OFSAA Bowl Game win in 2017.

The new name must still be ratified by the National Capital Amateur Football Association (NCAFA), and the team will continue to play in the Quebec Midget Football League.

The Raftsmen name will carry on with the club’s U17 bantam team. The Orleans Jr. Raftsmen will play in the National Capital Amateur Football Association (NCAFA).

Likewise the organization’s tyke, mosquito and peewee teams will continue to play as the Orleans Bengals.

Khan says the reorganization and rebranding has been in the works since early February. His appointment as president was precipitated by the coronavirus out-break.

“George (Zougamis) full-time job has him in the thick of things and he didn’t feel he could spend the necessary time to fulfill the duties as president, so the

WINEMAKING STILL AVAILABLE –

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

The Orleans Raftsmen will defend their Quebec Midget Football League title next fall as the Orleans Fighting Maroons. FILE PHOTO board approached me to take on the role the kids are training at home. The club is and I agreed. George will still stay in an still holding virtual meetings, but nobody knows when we will get to play again<” advisory role,” says Khan.

As for the impact the coronavirus says Khan. “I can tell you that minor outbreak is having on minor football in football will come back stronger than Ottawa, Khan says the sport is in the same ever. Football players are used to getting position as every other sport in the city – knocked down and getting back up again and we’re going to get back up from this. suspended until further notice.

“Everything is up in the air. Some of T:5"Kids are a pretty resilient bunch.”

2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

What you need to know to help you and your family stay healthy.

We wish everyone to stay safe and be healthy during this difficult time.

• Avoid non-essential travel.

• Monitor for symptoms after travel.

• Avoid large gatherings.

• Be prepared, but avoid panic stocking.

• Caring for those who are ill? Take precautions.

• Clean high-touch surfaces regularly.

• Order your prescription medication.

• Practice cough and sneeze etiquette in transit.

If you have symptoms, take the self-assessment at ontario.ca/coronavirus. Or call Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 (TTY: 1-866-797-0007) or your public health unit.

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14 • April 2, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 21

• Only visit an assessment centre if you have been referred by a health care professional.

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Keeping Our Distance Is Bringing Us Together

It’s a challenging time for all of us.

When the time arrives, we’ll be re-opening our doors and welcoming new homeowners to discover our wonderful community.

Until then, stay safe, follow government guidelines and respect your neighbours.

16 • April 2, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 21

At Cardinal Creek Village, community comes first.

Sales Centre and Model Homes closed until further notice. Visit us online at tamarackhomes.com