Community initiative helping spread positivity, thankfulness at local businesses
Jesse Bonello - Staff Writer
Some local businesses in town are displaying signs featuring a message of thankfulness and appreciation for essential workers thanks to an initiative started by a Sioux Lookout resident.
Cathy Bowen said she was inspired through Facebook to make signs that businesses could display to thank essential workers in town.
The message on the signs read, “Sioux Lookout thanks all essential workers. You are our true heroes!”
The signs also feature a giant heart along with message bubbles that list a wide variety of essential jobs and workers.
“I’ve been seeing so many posts on Facebook about thanking everybody. I work at the Fire Centre here and we have a huge plotter, so we can plot out giant signs. I thought it would be a really nice idea to thank everybody on behalf of all of Sioux Lookout… I talked to my managers, I told them what I was going to do, and they were worried I would leave anybody out so I made sure to put on the bottom thanking everybody who is helping us in these times. I just wanted to make sure we thanked everybody,” said Bowen.
“I made one for Fresh Market (Foods), the Post Office has one too, and I dropped one off at Giant Tiger… I left a couple of empty bubbles on the bottom, and I felt like if I missed somebody people were free to add a couple extra essential workers that should be thanked as well,” she said.
“She (Bowen) called to see if we would put a sign up if they made it. I asked Todd (Nadon – Fresh Market Foods co-owner) and they thought it was a great idea… I called her back, I said go for it, and a couple hours later the sign was delivered. The staff here put it up, and it was to just do a nice thank you from people out in the community… I think it (the sign) reflects everybody in towns’ thoughts,” said Sharon Yule, who helps on the Order Desk at Fresh Market Foods.
Bowen said she received great feedback from businesses that are displaying the signs. She said her main goal was to make sure people felt appreciated during these times.
“The businesses were really thankful and they thought it would lift the spirits a little bit, so that was the reception I got from all three of the places… I just think it’s a nice idea because I know that everybody is grateful for all those people who are still working… Part of making the sign colourful is to make sure people notice it and know that they are appreciated in these times. I didn’t want to be recognized for anything, that’s for sure, I just saw so many different ones on Facebook of people thanking so many other people. When I did go into Fresh Market (Foods) and I saw this big blank slate I thought it would be so nice to have something bright and eye-catching when you walk in to let everybody in town know that they’re appreciated,” Bowen concluded.