Unexpected challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic have made this a difficult time for many businesses, but people in St. Albert are coming together to help each other weather the storm.
The LOVEPIZZA restaurant in Erin Ridge is currently working on delivering 2,300 pizzas to people working tirelessly on the frontlines through their Support Pizza program, which sold out within the first three days. The local pizzeria is still open for curbside pick up or delivery.
Braede Harris, co-owner of LOVEPIZZA, said the restaurant decided to sell $5 pizzas for donation after seeing how a delivery at the University of Alberta's emergency department brightened up the days of doctors, nurses and others working at the hospital.
"People are overworked, they're worried and stressed out. This is just a way for us to put a smile on their face so they don't have to worry about lunch or dinner that day," Harris said.
Every pizza comes with a handwritten note from LOVEPIZZA along with messages of support from customers gathered through their website, she said.
"I think people are really craving some human connection, and this is just one way to do it."
While the restaurant can no longer deliver to hospitals because of new health safety regulations, Harris said there are many others who deserve recognition and a hot meal, including firefighters, grocery store employees and social workers. Recently, the local pizzeria delivered 28 pizzas to the Spruce Grove fire department.
There are seemingly endless examples of residents and business owners doing what they can to lift each other up in St. Albert.
Rob Tryon, owner of Effing Seafood in Riel Business Park, said when the store shifted to a "personal shopping experience" by allowing one person in at a time, six trucks were parked outside right at opening.
Tryon said he recognized most of the customers, who had brought their neighbours with them to show their support. Some people waited patiently for more than half an hour for their turn to shop.
"It made me melt looking out to see all the people there," he said. "It's really giving me a lot of hope for human beings in general, because we are really coming together."
When Concept Jewelry Design in St. Albert learned their landlord would be waiving April's rent, owner Carmen Bokenfohr said she wanted to pay it forward by giving away four necklaces for free on social media.
Not stopping there, Concept Jewelry teamed up with several local businesses to put together a giftbox showcasing local goods. Each giftbox contained eleven artisan products from eight local St. Albert boutiques, including Season's Gift Shop, Lahari Yoga Studio, and Cloud Nine Pajamas.
The giftboxes sold out in just over a week, Bokenfohr said.
"It was just a way to support each other, do some networking and at the same time, offer some comfort and joy to those who need it."
Other businesses are carrying product from other local retailers to help them out, including Confections Cake Co. The bake shop is now offering pickup and delivery for local beer from Endeavour Brewing Company in St. Albert as a way of assisting them.
"It's really easy for small business owners to get discouraged and carry all of this on their shoulders right now, but it's super important for everyone to stay positive," said co-owner Jarrett Delaney in a previous interview.
Just a simple phone call from a customer to say why the store was important to them meant a huge deal for Kelsey Bulmer, co-owner of Cerulean Boutique.
"She said, sight unseen, I want to buy all these things I've seen on your website, and just to be clear, I don't want my money back if it doesn't fit. Can I take store credit?" Bulmer said. "It brought me to tears because she said, I want you to weather the storm. I want you to get through this."
Care for the community has even spread online, with the creation of the COVID-CARE YEG Facebook group.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the group has grown to over 2,000 members, with guidelines posted for users to make sure they can help others while staying safe themselves.
Founder and St. Albert resident Cherise Arcand said she created the group as a way of connecting those most vulnerable with others who are able to deliver needed supplies to their doorstep in the Edmonton area.
"The act of self-isolating is a selfless act, and so is donating items to a stranger. If we can develop this mentality and encourage people to self-isolate when they're sick, and encourage acts of kindness, then it will spread more rapidly than the virus can. That is a sign of hope for me for sure," she said.
