Fred Rogers famously said, in times of crisis, to “look for the helpers.” This sentiment has become a meme of sorts during tragedies and disasters, including the current COVID-19 pandemic.
But, as writer Carvell Wallace pointed out in an Aug. 1, 2018 column for The Atlantic, “Mr. Rogers was a children’s personality and this is advice for children. The takeaway for adults is not to look for the helpers but to be the helpers. That is so deeply needed.”
We’re all familiar with stories of everyday heroes during this health crisis. Doctors, nurses, first responders, delivery drivers, grocery store workers and every other frontline and essential work deserves our gratitude and praise. That cannot be overstated. They are bearing the brunt of this pandemic, ensuring our health and basic needs are taken care of.
Unfortunately, not everyone is in the position to help in those same capacities. Not everyone has the training or the skills to number among those labelled “essential.” Instead, as we become accustomed to our new reality, many people are taking it upon themselves to “be the helpers” in more informal ways.
This week, our newspaper is full of stories about those people, from a group sewing bags for nurses to carry their scrubs to a woman using the Airdrie Public Library’s 3D printer to produce personal protective equipment to an 84-year-old man who has sewn masks to donate to the families of health-care workers.
And these are just the stories our reporters are aware of. Undoubtedly, around the city, people are doing whatever they can to take care of neighbours, loved ones and total strangers. They are checking in on one another, delivering groceries, picking up prescriptions and donating items to local organizations.
At this point, the cliché has become so common that we hesitate to repeat it, but it’s true that we will get through this together. Simple acts of kindness and help make that sentiment tangible.
