The novel coronavirus is no joke.

Those behind the Nanaimo Beacon, a local satire website, went outside their usual mandate this past weekend to try to build community connections during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The website launched an initiative called Beacon Buddies, with a goal of connecting volunteers willing to run errands for neighbours who are in self-isolation or quarantine.

鈥淭here鈥檚 not a lot more behind this other than we just want to help,鈥� the Nanaimo Beacon told the News Bulletin in an online interview. 鈥淲e figure we鈥檝e got a reasonably sized platform, so let鈥檚 do something good with it, instead of our usual mediocre, low-effort satire.鈥�

Less than a day after publicizing the Beacon Buddies program, the site had signed up more than 600 volunteers from Duncan to Campbell River.

The program鈥檚 guidelines indicate that the self-isolating individuals should pre-pay for things like groceries and prescriptions, and suggests that volunteers should refuse to pick up 鈥渉oarding levels of supplies like toilet paper, bleach, sanitized wipes, etc.鈥� The Beacon shared a few common-sense tips for meeting buddies, but said it will leave health-care advice to professionals.

The Beacon Buddies program is in line with B.C. Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie鈥檚 call last week for neighbours to help neighbours and during the pandemic.

The Beacon usually sticks to satire; for example, last week it published a piece advising that Nanaimo鈥檚 annual Lick the Mayor event was being cancelled due to coronavirus fears.

鈥淥nce this crisis has passed, we hope to just go back to writing [crappy] jokes about the mayor鈥檚 muscles,鈥� the Beacon said.

For more information about the Beacon Buddies program, .

READ ALSO:

READ ALSO:

READ ALSO:

editor@nanaimobulletin.com
Like us on and follow us on