Self-isolation is mandated for anyone who is returning from travel outside of Canada, but it can be tough – especially if you’re new to the area where you live.
That’s the issue Karen Easlick and her husband ran into when they got back from their trip to Florida. “Of course we were under full isolation,” she tells the MyBancroftNow.com newsroom. “We’re new to Bancroft so we didn’t really have any family or friends to deliver us food.”
Needing groceries, she reached out to Tony and Jill’s No Frills to see if they offer curbside pick-up or delivery. “They got back to me within the hour, and apologized for not having that service but went into great detail about how they’re protecting their customers and staff,” Easlick says. While on the call she said she appreciates the steps they’re taking, but since they’re under self-isolation they have no other way to pick-up groceries. “(The employee) quickly got the owner who contacted me,” Easlick says.
After a quick phone call – and despite not offering delivery service at their store – co-owner of Bancroft’s No Frills Tony McLaughlin offered to pay for the groceries and deliver them himself along with his wife and co-owner Jill. McLaughlin says it was the right thing to do. “We wanted to make sure they have enough groceries to get them through their quarantine,” he says.
“I really didn’t think much of it until later in the day when she left a review on our Facebook page,” McLaughlin says. While delivery is not a service they’re offering at No Frills, McLaughlin says after he and his wife learned the shelves at Easlick’s home were bare and she and her husband were under self-isolation, he and his wife didn’t think twice about helping out.
“These people don’t know me,” Easlick says while fighting back tears. “For them to go out of their way like that, it was heartwarming.” She also compliments Tony and Jill for doing this themselves and not putting their staff in harm’s way.
“Those people who are under self-isolation: reach out before you go out,” Easlick says on her advice to others in her situation. “We’re in self-isolation for a reason.”
Easlick says it’s things like this that will bring the community together amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.