The Town of BWG is providing an example of how a community can work together, to meet the challenges of COVID-19.
BWG Mayor Rob Keffer personally reached out to Bradford Valley Care Community, the 246-bed long-term care facility in Bradford that has been the centre of a COVID-19 outbreak impacting both residents and staff.
“I had been in touch with Bradford Valley, and asked if there was anything the town could do,” said Mayor Keffer. “Generally, they were saying that they were getting along alright.”
But it was an evolving situation – and on April 13, a request came in: did the town know anyone who could make hospital gowns for the staff?
Coun. Peter Dykie Jr. reached out to Fred Kamphuis Jr., owner of F.K. Textiles – a fabric store that recently closed its doors after more than 40 years in the community.
And Mayor Keffer reached out to friend and neighbour Jean Calder, a Bond Head area volunteer, to ask if she knew anyone who could put together gowns from the polyester cotton material and other supplies that Kamphuis had made available at a very reasonable price or donated.
Calder did. She and friends Eleanor Watt and Cheryl Blair quickly pulled a pattern from the internet and set to work, sewing hospital gowns.
“They’re very, very simple,” said Calder. The trickiest part was downloading the pattern “off the web” – printing it off in 21 or so separate sheets that had to be taped together to make a whole.
The team – especially Watt: “She just whizzes through them,” Calder said – made and delivered 18 of the gowns, in a variety of sizes, with several more still to come.
“It was really nice to be able to do something to contribute,” Calder said, helping out the staff at Bradford Valley who “have got a lot to handle” during the crisis.
“I am proud of the community spirit of these and other individuals and groups across our community who are going above and beyond to ensure we all get through this difficult time,” the mayor said in his update on Wednesday.
Mayor Keffer remains in touch with Bradford Valley, every couple of days.
“I realize how busy they are, but they have been very approachable and appreciative,” he said – and the town continues to co-ordinate, to assist with any needs. The communications have led to other initiatives, including the provision of a house owned by the Town, where long term care staff worried about bringing COVID-19 home to their families, can stay.
“Obviously, this is not the typical work for the town, but these are not typical times,” Mayor Keffer said.
Kathy Wheeler, director of resident programs and admissions at Bradford Valley, thanked the volunteers for their work, on behalf of staff at the facility.
"The gowns are incredible - they love, love, love them," Wheeler said. "They are wonderful - bright, lightweight, perfect! They will all be used for sure. We can't thank the ladies enough, and F.K. Textiles, for all of the hard work and care that went into these."
Also very welcome are the hand-made scrub caps "with buttons on the side for them to secure the (face) mask to," she said. Staff "absolutely love these!"
As for what else is needed at Bradford Valley, Wheeler suggested that with Mother's Day coming up, home-made cards and small items for the residents would lift spirits and bring some cheer at a difficult time.
