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Stettler Facebook group connecting folks during the coronavirus outbreak

‘Need Help? Help Your Neighbour - Stettler & Area’ can also be accessed by phone for those without computer or Facebook access
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‘We want to look for ways that we can help each other, and also it’s really important for people to also ask for help - to not be afraid to ask for help. There are so many people willing to help out.’ Stephanie Hadley

A new Facebook group in Stettler is really helping to make sure local citizens have what they need through the coronavirus outbreak.

“With the sudden changes to our day to day activities, and uncertainty about what we can or should do, let’s pull together as a community and reach out to each other, help each other and make sure we look out for everyone,” notes the Facebook site which is called ‘Need Help? Help Your Neighbour - Stettler & Area’.

”Check on your neighbours, don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it, and if you have something to offer others - please share here.”

Local resident Stephanie Hadley launched the group this past weekend, and is thrilled to see how it’s taken off in the community.

“I just started it on impulse last night,” she said. “I was thinking about how things have changed so quickly. I’m someone who would like to be able to help my neighbours, and I’m sure that there are others out there who feel that way, too,” she said. “I thought that the best way to mobilize that is to create something that people can communicate through and then see where it goes. And it really took off.

“There were almost 600 people in there this morning!”

Hadley said that the group is a means for people to connect, and there are threads on it you can follow that pertain to various needs such as running errands, providing baby formula, child care, collecting items, or even arranging a phone visit to make sure someone is okay.

“I’ve also set the group up so there are some topics in there that will make it easier to find specific information,” she explained. “There’s a (place) for childcare, there’s a place for supplies, for resources, errands - if someone goes into that group and clicks on those topics, they will see all the posts related to that topic in one place,” she said.

“There has already been a lot of amazing offers on there - people even posting their phone numbers and being willing to visit by phone if people are needing some support right now,” she said.

For those without access to either a computer or to Facebook, they can all 403- 741-9233 for further information.

“I just feel like we see so much alarming information, and we really don’t know what’s going to happen. We really don’t know what to expect or what to do,” she added. “I’ve heard this quote before, and it’s been what’s bouncing around my head for a few days - Mr Rogers’ statement about his mother once telling him, ‘Look for the helpers - look for the good’.

“I think that’s what we have to focus on. It’s going to be what it’s going to be, but we need to help each other and look for the good right now.

“I also put a post up a little while ago about checking on your neighbours - phone them. If there are people who don’t get out much or have existing health issues, then see what they need.”