COVID-19 - A Local Hero Rises - Tanya Melo, 2020
During the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, especially when very little was known about the virus, many heroes emerged. Some wore scrubs, while others wore uniforms. Some drove fire trucks or ambulances, and others stacked fruit in our local supermarkets. Still others stayed home as ‘non-essential’ and yet helped in any way that they could.
That is the story of Tanya Melo, who was brought to our attention by her daughter Kaitie. Instead of gorging on Netflix, this unassuming mother of four sat down at her sewing machine and she made masks. She made a lot of masks. She then donated those masks to nursing homes, children with cancer, families of children with immunocompromised conditions, and just about anybody who asked.
This story is the first in a series our crew will be producing to recognise the contributions made by the unsung heroes of the pandemic. These are the people who kept us fed, who got the essential workers to their jobs, who drove people to essential appointments, and who delivered our packages, shopped for and delivered our food, and performed all of the other essential services that let us stay home to limit the spread of the virus.
At the end of this video are details of a contest we are currently organizing that will recognise the most giving, the most caring, the most dedicated, and the most selfless of those who kept the wheels going while most of us stayed home. If you know just such a person, please let us know and tell us their story.
We would like to thank the following sponsors of the Ontario Community Awareness Network. These businesses show they care about our shared community by helping us to provide a locally-focused truly local voice to you and your neighbours. They also enable our crew to be able to continue providing donated services to promote local benevolent community groups and charities based in The City of Barrie, the Town of Innisfil, and the Township of Oro-Medonte.
Assisting You Social - Social Media Management
Backcountry K9 Kennel - Day Care, Overnight, and Grooming
BarterPay Simcoe County - Business Promotion
Beauty & Babes - Salon and Spa
Checkered Door - Transition to Adult ASD
Enterprise Mechanical Inc. - Heating and Air Conditioning
Family TLC - Family Counselling and Therapy
Growing Minds Learning Centre - Daycare Centre
Hwear Plus/Canadian Toggle - Personal Protection
Imagine Laserworks Barrie - Laser Acupuncture Services
Jack’s Urban Jungle - Indoor Adventure Park
Latchman Insurance Brokers Limited - Providing All Types
LiceSquad.com Barrie South Simcoe - Lice Removal
Michael Enterprise Audio & Visual
Still Moving Osteopathy - People and Pets
Theatre By The Bay - Live Performances
3B Solutions - Video and Media
For more information about how your business can benefit from membership in the Ontario Community Awareness Network, please visit www.cityofbarrie.net
Post-production by John Ironside
