Residents of the South Windward constituency banded together recently to ramp up their community’s awareness and effective response to the on-going coronavirus scare.
Following the lead of Canadian based Vincentian author and aesthetics consultant Elma Gabriel-Mayers who masterminded the communications outreach project and donated 4 full colored posters, Yoland London rallied several of her neighbors who assisted with setting up the standardized COVID-19 centered warnings.
That eclectic grouping included: Denniston Richards, Karen Joseph-Nero, Bernard Sayers, Raphique Andrews, Leubron Nero, Alston George, Malachi Nero and Winfield Abbot-Tannis.
“We are urging our community residents to adhere to the information printed on the signs by adopting the messages as part of their daily routine in an attempt to minimize cases of COVID. Of the four posters, one is at Calder gap, one is at Nine Morning Square, another one was placed at the church road gap and one at Diamond gap,” London told Asbert News Network.
The signs exhort readers to observe: clean hands protocols, proper cough etiquette, social distancing and mask wearing guidelines as well as promote the local COVID-19 hotline – 784 534 4325; with an apparent endorsement by the local Health Ministry.
“We embraced the idea because we thought having a physical structure that would remind us about the dos and don’ts of minimizing cases of COVID could only be a win-win for any community,” London also explained.
Erecting the signs brought Stubbs in closer alignment with “the rest of SVG in the COVID sensitization drive,” she said further.
Gabriel-Mayers is described as a passionate social advocate who hails from Stubbs. Her best known literary contributions are ‘Standing Tall in Echoes of Destiny’ and ‘Echoes of the Soul.’ This Vincentian wordsmith and community activist was granted more than a few standout awards of recognition; at least two of which were presented by the City of Toronto and the International Library of Poetry. The latter was an Editor’s Choice trophy for her “for outstanding achievement in poetry.”
Now a retired Senior Business Analyst at one of Canada’s largest financial firms, she told ANN, “I have learnt that no matter where we reside within the universe, our childhood place lingers and yes; more so in times of crisis. COVID-19 poses danger and awareness is the beginning to the assurance of a safe community. It’s my way of saying to the people that I care. You are being thought of.”