12 Days of Gratitude

The final month of the year is a time many of us take stock of all the people in our lives that we have to be grateful for. As we look back on 2021 and the continuing challenges of a global pandemic, it is so important to take the time to appreciate those who kept us safe, healthy and supported. Over the past 12 days I have been sharing some of that appreciation on instagram and facebook in what I called "12 Days of Gratitude" and I wanted to recap it all right here as well for those who may have missed it.December 13: Essential Workers I had to kick off my 12 Days of Gratitude by thanking all the essential workers who live and work in Burlington. From the doctors, nurses and healthcare workers to the front-line retail staff who stock grocery stores shelves and fill prescriptions to the many teachers and educational staff who support our youth, we are now more aware than ever of the vital role they play in our health and well-being. Thank you for your hard work, sacrifices and resilience this year. We could not have survived without you.December 14: Community Support Groups Burlington is blessed to have amazing community groups who provide support to the vulnerable members of our city every day of the year. We know the pandemic has increased the hardships faced by an increasing number of people who were unable to work and were challenged like never before to put food on the table. Our food banks, religious institutions, charities and philanthropic donors came together with coordinated efforts to ensure every person in our community had what they needed to get through these challenging times. Thank you to all of them for doing what they do best in the time we needed it most.December 15: City and Regional Staff Staff at the City of Burlington and Halton Region went above and beyond in so many ways this year. Not only did they keep the services of the city going by driving buses, issuing marriage licenses, collecting leaves and keeping our parks and community spaces beautiful and clean, they also ran an incredibly successful vaccination program that has gotten us to almost 90% of all eligible people past the 2-dose mark (and now 3 doses!). Thank you to each of them for their hard work, vigilance to new health and safety protocols, and their genuine care for all the people we serve.December 16: City Councillors and Leadership Team Navigating a continuing state of emergency is uncharted waters for many public servants and we are so fortunate to have a council and leadership team at the City of Burlington and Halton Region who work as hard as needed and as long as it takes to keep our city running, safe and healthy. I have seen an incredible amount of fortitude and dedication from each person who is charged with making timely and impactful decisions for our community and am grateful for their work ethic, commitment and collaboration to our staff, residents and businesses. From continued work on our Official Plan to taking on new bylaw responsibilities in support of provincial pandemic restrictions to finding new and innovative ways to connect with constituents, the dedication is truly evident and greatly appreciated.December 17: City Partners Our city has many partners who support the work we need to get done for residents and businesses. From the Halton Regional Police Service to Burlington Hydro to local BIAs to our Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development teams to our MPs and MPPs, the ways these organizations kept one another informed, collaborated together (often at a moment’s notice) and delivered valuable support throughout 2021 has been an amazing sight to see. These newly strengthened bonds will be a lasting silver lining of the pandemic and I thank each and every one of them for living up to Burlington’s motto to “Stand By” as we see in our city crest. They are always ready to act and this year was no exception.December 18: Media Our media played a very important role in providing the timely and accurate information our community has needed throughout 2021. They shared vital details about health and safety measures, vaccines and variants and found ways to spotlight healthcare heroes and inspiring community events. We have all learned in recent years how essential it is to find trustworthy sources of news and avoid dangerous misinformation, and I extend my thanks to all journalists and news organizations who understand their responsibility in keeping us accurately informed and empowered to make the best decisions for our families and our communities.December 19: Community Volunteers One of the best things about Burlingtonians is their unlimited generosity and compassion. We have so many volunteers who are giving of their time and energy to countless causes across our city. They organize food drives and deliver thousands of pounds of donations to our food banks and community centers. They host events that raise funds for sports groups, seniors and kids. They work tirelessly and compassionately in our hospital and hospice. They plant trees and help clean up our environment. There is no limit to their capacity to give and I thank each and every one of them for their kindness and dedication to our community.December 20: Businesses 2021 saw local businesses, and business-owners, continue to demonstrate innovation, flexibility and resilience in the face of substantial challenges like labour shortages, supply chain issues, and evolving pandemic restrictions. Despite all that, we still saw existing businesses work harder than ever, new businesses like Tile Giant, The Pearle Hotel and East Plains United Church (non-profit) Daycare open their doors here in Burlington and existing businesses like Aluminum Surface Technologies expand and grow. Our businesses kept employees and customers safe, and they found new ways to thrive and support one another. Our community loves to support our local shops, restaurants, fitness centers and personal service providers, and as restrictions lifted they flocked back to their favourites with delight. Thank you to every business owner and their employees for persevering through such a challenging year.December 21: ResidentsBurlington has one of the most engaged groups of residents of any city I know and I am grateful for the many ways each person contributed to our city’s evolution and well-being in 2021: The many parents who made it through months of home-schooling while still doing demanding jobs. Every child who had to find a new way to learn and connect with their friends. The people who helped their neighbours with shoveling snow and picking up groceries. The veterans who kept our local Legion going strong (one of whom turned 103 this year!) Those who supported our diversity and inclusion goals by showing up for National Day of Truth and Reconciliation or the community prayer ceremony held in Spencer Smith Park in honour of the Muslim lives lost in London, Ontario. The many kind souls who sent notes of thanks to us at city hall for keeping them safe, and the passionate people who reminded us of different priorities and points of view. Every person in our community is valued and contributes to our success as a whole, and for that, I thank you.December 22: Furry Friends One of the silver linings of the pandemic has been how much extra time many of us have gotten to spend with the furriest and most loyal members of our families: our pets! I know my dog Boston has enjoyed having me home and I have loved his company (though not his barking) during countless hours of Zoom calls. It is wonderful to see the endless parade of people taking their dogs for walks on work-from-home lunchbreaks, and I know every cat, goldfish and hamster provide welcome companionship every day. The holidays are the perfect time to send a little extra thanks to the ones who light up the most every time we come through the door.December 23: My TeamI am a firm believer that no one accomplishes anything alone, and my team is a great example of that. They are truly dedicated to serving our community and consistently treat every person they deal with like family. They work hard and they always show up with a smile - even on the busiest, most stressful days. They have loyalty and integrity, and I am so fortunate their resilience and commitment has kept them on the team, some for 3 exciting and eventful years already. Thank you to each of them for all the ways they support our community as well as myself.December 24: My Family Last but certainly not least in the 12 Days of Gratitude, I would like to thank my family for their unconditional love and support. They believe in the value of the work I do, and graciously accept the many times they have to share me with the demands of running our amazing city because they love Burlington as much as I do. As my three children get older and venture out on their own, I appreciate the ability to spend the holidays with them more than ever, along with my husband of 28 years.I wish each and every one in our city a happy holidays and to those celebrating tomorrow – a very Merry Christmas. I send each of you my heartfelt wishes for a healthy and peaceful new year.