It is so great to be back after a brief hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic! We are happy to report we are emerging slowly from our social distancing adventure healthy, and so eager to interact with people in person again, albeit cautiously. Summer 2020 will likely be a strange one, with events virtually non-existent, and typical vacations cancelled in order to meet health recommendations. We hope everyone will take this opportunity to explore all there is to be found in our amazing Valley! We know we are excited to find even more reasons to love Creston as we spend the summer close to home.
One place we will be visiting this summer is the Red Bird Winery, by appointment and with social distancing in mind, obviously. The Winery has not been completely unscathed by the COVID-19 restrictions, however, is a great example of a business making the best of a challenging situation to expand their offer online, having introduced their Wine Club for the first time this year.
The team at the Creston Museum has been hard at work finding innovative ways to allow social distancing for visitors, while still sharing the history of our community. This has got them researching even more than normal, resulting in some interesting comparisons between the power of the dollar in 1920 and today.
While restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic may have put a damper on the planned celebration, the Creston Community Park, which features a skate and bike park among other amenities, has opened! Mayor Ron Toyota reflects on the letter received in 2015 which helped set plans for the skate and bike portion of the Park in motion.
The Creston Legion reflects on current world events impacting all of us recently, as well as a flood in April which caused some significant damage to their building. They are looking ahead to the summer of 2020 with hope.
If you are like so many others, your work location may have shifted from the traditional workplace to the home office. Katie-Faye Jenkins shares three simple hacks for making the most of your home-based workspace.
Chief Louie reminds us we are not alone through the COVID-19 crisis, and shares some of the impacts he has personally felt recently. The Lower Kootenay Band has worked to adapt and continue to offer services and support to its members.
Mel at Fly in the Fibre focuses on the positives she has encountered as a small business owner and resident of Creston. From the support of those choosing to buy local, the to surge of aid and goodwill provided to those in need in the Valley and beyond, the COVID-19 pandemic seems to have put a spotlight on the good of this community once again.
Maya Skalinska speaks about the four pillars of health, and how to make the most of the summer season by taking advantage of the bounty of fresh herbs and produce available to us, as well as taking the time to enjoy the outdoors.
It seems no industry has been left unscathed by the shutdowns created by COVID-19, and the agriculture industry is no exception. Although deemed essential, food supply was impacted in ways we could not have imagined with the closure of two major meat packing plants in Alberta. On the positive end of the scale, home gardens seem to be making a major comeback. This months Ag Aware article speaks to the impact the pandemic has had on many aspects of the agriculture industry.
As we look towards summer 2020, and try to make sense of the state of the world today, we wish you an amazing summer season, and hope we will run into you (at a safe distance!) as we all explore our own backyard this summer.