Local Voices is an opportunity for residents to speak out, in what we plan to make a regular feature in The Local. If anyone is interested in submitting a column, please email [email protected].
When I first saw the call for volunteers posted by Niagara Region Public Health in March, my first thought was “Yes! I want to do this!” It was an automatic reaction, that, surprisingly, did not invoke any fear in me of contracting COVID-19 from exposure to countless strangers. I suppose some people might have felt some trepidation, but for me, this seemed to be a way I could make a personal contribution to help get us back to “normality.” It was time to get involved.
I moved to Niagara-on-the-Lake in 2012, and since then I have volunteered for several organizations in town. The Shaw Guild, Niagara Pumphouse Arts Centre, Heritage Trail Committee and occasionally for the Niagara Historical Museum and Music Niagara. I was also hired by the town twice: for the War of 1812 Bicentennial Committee, and then for the Canada 150 Committee. The latter was an amazing experience — hard work for sure, but it helped me to make lasting connections and friendships with so many people and organizations here.
Volunteering had become part of my life, so I sent in my application to Niagara Region Public Health and waited. It seems they were overwhelmed with applications, and cut them off right after I applied. I received notification that I was being considered, but would have to go through some online training before being accepted. The online training took six hours over two days (there was a deadline!). But it paid off, as I was confirmed as a volunteer.
Each shift is six hours long, with a half-hour break, and volunteers have to commit to one or two days a week until September. No problem for me, as most of my other volunteer activities had ceased. I signed up for my first shift in March, but even before that happened, I received a call on a Saturday evening that if I could get to the MacBain Centre in Niagara Falls within half an hour, I could get vaccinated. I was elated. They were offering this to all the volunteers — what a great perk!
The vaccination clinics are scattered all over Niagara Region, from Port Colborne to West Lincoln, to Pelham to Fort Erie, etc., and I wanted to try to get to as many as possible. Each handles varying numbers of people, depending on the size of the facility, from 500 to 2200-plus. Staff and volunteers are recognized by the colour of their T-shirt: bright blue for administrators, dark blue for nurses and grey for volunteers. Name badges, medical masks and safety goggles or face shields are mandatory.
The tasks performed by a volunteer are all related to helping the traffic flow of people moving from one point to another — none of them glamorous, and all of them requiring standing for six hours. Some of the tasks are greeting people and giving them a medical mask and hand sanitizer, directing people to a check-in desk or a vaccination table, sanitizing chairs in the recovery area where people have to sit for 15 minutes after receiving a shot, and showing people where to exit.
People coming in are very impressed by the efficiency and the positive atmosphere in the clinics. In most cases, the total time that someone spends from entry to exit is less than 30 minutes, which is pretty remarkable. The demographics have changed dramatically since the clinics began, from 75-plus to now 12-plus. One of the most gratifying aspects is seeing people who come in a bit nervous (or very nervous), and then depart, relieved and happy. Although some people might experience some pain or a mild reaction from the vaccine, the care and personal attention from the nurses is extraordinary and reassuring. I remember someone who left a rose on a nurse’s table. Very touching.
On Monday I was volunteering at the MacBain Centre. The clinic expected only about 500 people, which is quite small for this facility. The demographic was Indigenous, and most people were coming in for their second shot, so many were relaxed and smiling (you can tell, even through the mask). There was a group from the Niagara Native Regional Centre (https://nrnc.ca/), who were there to act as a calming force for anyone who felt nervous, but really were there to reconnect with the community, who hadn’t been able to meet in person for a year.
I am so happy to be working as a volunteer at the clinics. For me, it has brought only positive experiences and the gratification that I have been able to help the immunization efforts needed to bring back the world we’ve missed: gatherings with friends and family, travel, the Shaw Festival, tourists, dining out, and just being spontaneous when we go shopping. We will get there soon, with just a little more patience, consideration and kindness.
Local Voices is an opportunity for residents to speak out, in what we plan to make a regular feature in The Local. If anyone is interested in submitting a column, please email [email protected].
