NEWS RELEASE
INNISFIL IDEALAB & LIBRARY
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As of July 13, the public has been required to wear face coverings in all indoor, publicly accessible spaces in Simcoe County.
To encourage public safety and help the community prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Innisfil ideaLAB & Library is distributing free locally-made, branded cloth masks at the Lakeshore, Cookstown, and Stroud branches.
Masks come with printed wearing and washing instructions to help provide safety guidelines to residents with barriers to accessing online information. Masks will be distributed while supplies last and the Library will continue the program if there is a demand.
In addition to the cloth masks, a supply of 5,000 disposable masks was given to the Innisfil Community Church to distribute through the Innisfil Food Bank and to other community organizations in town.
Throughout the past three months, the Town of Innisfil has been working closely with residents and community partners to address short, medium, and long-term community needs as a result of COVID-19. Social isolation, access to reliable print information, and a general fear of lessening community restrictions were some of the key areas of concern established by the community, with seniors identified as some of the most vulnerable residents in these areas.
The Innisfil ideaLAB and Library has responded to these needs by adapting a New Horizons for Seniors grant project, to launch two new innovative services for this demographic: face mask distribution and take home craft kits.
“While the COVID-19 pandemic affects all residents, some people are more at risk to its impacts. It is always important to ensure that most vulnerable can be provided with the support and supplies they need,” said Susan Baues, Acting CEO of Innisfil ideaLAB & Library. “It is important to keep connected and make sure that everyone feels safe and supported in this uncertain time.”
In addition to free face masks, HackLAB Kits for Seniors are now available for free through curbside pickup! These kits are pre-made craft kits designed to bring the Library’s hackLAB to your home. Choose from one of five available, including customized signs, greeting cards, and a birdhouse.
All supplies are included in the kits and they can be modified to accommodate the individual needs of Library patrons. For more information or to order a kit, please visit https://www.innisfilidealab.ca/kits-for-seniors/.
“The seniors’ craft kit initiative by the Innisfil ideaLAB & Library is such an excellent idea,” says Toni Imtiaz, Director of Community Relations at Lakeside Retirement.
“It is an activity where everything is provided for them. They can once again participate in something and feel a sense of accomplishment and then get to show off their finished product. They are so appreciative of things like this. They feel remembered and still feel a part of the community.”
The New Horizons for Seniors Program is a federal program that provides grants and contributions for projects that make a difference in the lives of seniors and their communities. Funding provided to the Innisfil ideaLAB & Library is supporting seniors’ needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information, please click here.
“The Innisfil ideaLAB & Library is the hub of the community! The support and services they provide to our residents is truly remarkable,” says InnisfilMayor Lynn Dollin. “With the contribution from the New Horizons for Seniors Program, reaching out to our senior community is invaluable. This pandemic has put the elderly at higher risk of isolation - both mentally and physically. We hope that providing them with the protective masks and resources to occupy their minds will help get them through these unprecedented times.”
For more information about the Town of Innisfil’s Community Needs Assessment, you can follow the project via www.getinvolvedinnisfil.ca/recovering-from-covid-19.
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