Community Corner:
S-D-K-G: Come sing with US!
Jason Bailey, SSW (AKA DJ SLIP)
I would like to start by saying thank you to the Sioux Bulletin staff, and Mr. Tim Brody, and family, for reaching out to local businesses and families to check in to see how they are faring during this time. My phone visit with Mr. Brody was a good opportunity to review all of what we are doing here at “Bailey Media Canada” to still maintain revenue and to employ staff. This visit was a breath of fresh air to the questionable time we are all in.
Bailey Media Canada is operating at full capacity right now. All of our assets are deployed in the education field developing and monitoring virtual classrooms for local education organizations. Bailey Media Canada staff and technical department along with partners, “SLAAMB (Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board)” and “CCCC (Central Culinary College of Canada)” have quickly removed barriers to education with advanced virtual meeting applications so students can meet face to face with pupils, and teachers alike in classroom settings. Students and teachers can also share documents, screens, and academic progress in this environment with ease. We have managed to “breach the digital divide” for Indigenous learners at a pace that has surpassed other school systems; all this while maintaining consistent student attendance.
The platform we have chosen allows students to have access to face to face social service supports to manage and intervene with any arising mental health issues and provide up to date information on protecting ourselves from the spread of COVID-19.
Looking ahead Bailey Media Canada will be setting out to acquire staff in the education field, and Social Services Support field.
In the coming months Bailey Media Canada will be applying for funding to deploy these platforms to support the developing partnership with the “Minister of Attorney General’s office” in continuing the delivery of the HSP “Healing Spirit Program”. The HSP program provides support to Indigenous community members whom are experiencing contact with the legal system as the result of impacts stemming from Intergenerational Trauma.
As a small business operator managing multiple businesses, it has not been all good news. Two of our companies; our production company “Voltentertainment & Festival Freightways”, and our auto detailing business, “Delicate-Detail”, have come to a full ground stop! Both companies have many clients and contracts that are currently up in the air; including our contract with “50 Below Sports and Entertainment Inc. owners of the NHL “Winnipeg Jets”, the AHL “Winnipeg Moose”, and the WHL “Winnipeg ICE”.
We have deployed many of the assets from Voltentertainment to supporting our Social Distance Karaoke Group on Facebook. The group was created six weeks ago in support of providing entertainment while Social Distancing. The group has grown to 3200 members and our three small businesses have donated over $600.00 in cash prizes, via email transfer, to winners of contests held within the group. Saturday May 9th we hosted a kids ages 0-10 years’ contest from 1-6 pm. Once we posted this notification in our group we received a message from a kind community member who asked if they could make a donation to the contest. The community member donated $70.00. We added this to the $30.00 purse that we had previously allocated to the event, for a total purse of $100.00 that will go to the lucky winner Ciarra Morrisseau. We recently received a special anonymous $300.00 donation (In memory of Uncle DONNY and Aunt DARLENE) that we are creating more contests with as we speak. We plan on having an event every weekend. The group is monitored by the administrators to ensure our members mental health and peace of mind is our primary and continuous goal. The group has members from all over the world, as well has been visited by Juno Award winning music artist Joseph Laplante AKA “JOEY STYLEZ”, as a celebrity judge, and to help announce contest winners.
On a personal note, COVID-19 has struck close to home and is impacting one of my lifelong friends and their family. This brings to light the reality that I have to practice safety during this time. I wear a mask and gloves when I go out, and I also practice social distancing and educate all people willing to listen to these practices. If I was to give any message to the public, it would be this. “YES, WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER! THOUGH THERE IS ONLY ONE PERSON WHO CAN PROTECT YOU AND THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU, AND THAT’S YOU!”
If you would like to join our Social-Distance-Karaoke-Group, please visit: www.facebook.com/groups/
911929862560868/