Oakville Community Foundation
March 25, 2020
Many of us are used to being out and about in the community. On any given day we’re going out to local restaurants, stores, parks and trails. In this time of increased physical isolation – as a way to take part in social distancing – it’s difficult not to be able to visit your favourite places.
Luckily, there are so many virtual opportunities to both stay connected and support our community. Whether it’s a tour or a live stream class, join in!
Experience Nature – Virtually!
The Town of Oakville has officially closed all parks and trails but that doesn’t mean you can’t experience some local nature. Conservation Halton has put together a list of nature-related activities that you can take part in right from your own home!
Complete a backyard scavenger hunt, learn some frog and bird calls or play the tree matching game. You can also try your hand at using Google Earth to virtually walk through some of Oakville’s beautiful trails and parks like Bronte Creek Provincial Park or Lion’s Valley Park.
Exercise with Your Favourite Local Classes
A healthy and active lifestyle is increasingly more difficult to keep up with physical distancing, but local businesses and organizations are now moving classes – either live or pre-recorded – to their social channels.
The YMCA of Oakville is posting a workout-a-day on their Youtube channel which you can follow along from anywhere inside your house. Try out a full body workout or quick core workout! Is yoga more your style? Power Yoga Canada is live streaming yoga classes everyday on their Facebook page. Take part in a class live or watch later when it’s more convenient for you.
Looking for something you can do as a family? Take part in the Daily 20 from Start2Finish, with exercises and activities that both children and adults can do.
Explore Your Creative Side
Have you always wanted to add some more art to your life? You’re in luck! There are lots of virtual art classes that everyone can take part in using simple tools that you can find at home.
The Oakville Galleries is posting #QuarantineCrafts on their Facebook page with simple and easy-to-do crafts. Make a beautiful foil-print flower or create an amusing egg-carton face. The Oakville Arts Studio is now also sharing classes for free on their website where you can try your hand at claymation or creating a still-life painting.
Attend Virtual Mass
For some of us, our normal day-to-day lives include attending mass. In the last few days, our community churches, synagogues, mosques and temples have started conducting virtual mass through channels like Youtube and Zoom. For some, this can be very reassuring and give them that feeling of community.
To name a few: St. Matthew Catholic Parish is posting mass and sermons on their Youtube page; The Meeting House is running mass through a livestream on Youtube; Anglican Diocese of Niagara are hosting Sunday services with Bishop Bell on their Facebook page; and Shaari-Beth El is conducting their weekly services through Zoom.
Learn Something New
We may be physically isolated, but everyone can still take the time to learn something new. This could mean learning a new skill, learning about the history of the town or being an expert in a topic you’ve always wanted to know about.
Our community has so many virtual ways to learn something new. Take a virtual tour of the Oakville Museum or check out their in-house collections. You can also take a look at past exhibitions held at the Oakville Galleries and learn about different kinds of art. Lastly, don’t forget, your Oakville Public Library card gives you access to so many learning opportunities! Take an online class, watch a classic movie or listen to a new audiobook
“The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” – B.B. King
If you have other suggestions please email Courtney Waddell, Communications and Events Coordinator, at courtney@theocf.org. We look forward to sharing more ideas.
