Stories help. Sharing our stories is an action we can take to bring us closer together during social distancing. At a time when we’re forced to connect virtually or not at all, the intentionally vulnerable authenticity of sharing our families’ experiences helps build community. So read along as The Citizen presents the experiences of some local families who are practicing social distancing or isolation during the current COVID-19 public health crisis.

Part One: Isolating While Pregnant. A local Niverville couple, Raesha and Joel Enns, are expecting their first child in August. Joel runs his own roofing company, JJE Roofing & Construction, while Raesha stays at home working on the accounting side of the business…

Part Two: The Paramedic’s Family. Kyle and Cyndi Wiebe normally lead very busy lives, enjoying country living with their five children and three dogs. Kyle is a Winnipeg paramedic and Cyndi does freelance graphic design/illustration and works part-time reception for the Town of Niverville…

Part Three: From Mexico to Isolation. Meet the Unraus. Joe is a technical assistant for Manitoba Hydro and Sherry is a healthcare aide at the Heritage Life Personal Care Home in Niverville. They have four children, Ashley, Hailey, Ryan, and Kelsey…
 

Part Four: Coming Home Early. Ron and Sherri Hildebrandt are a semiretired couple from Niverville currently serving a mandatory self-isolation order since their unexpected return from working with Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) in Rockport, Texas. The site was closed abruptly and they were directed to return home as soon as possible…

Part Five: Visits with Grandpa. Barry Locke and his granddaughters share a special connection—and just as a cord of many threads remains strong under tension, they are finding ways to remain close even during these times of social distancing. Barry’s three granddaughters are continuing their regular visits to Niverville Credit Union Manor to see their grandpa…

Part Six: Homeschooling the Kids. Niverville’s three schools recently had hundreds of children roaming the halls—and now they stand barren, except for teachers. This means all those children are at home, trying their best to follow some sort of system or schedule to stay educated, informed, and entertained in this uncertain time. It’s a huge change for everyone involved…

Part Seven: Living with MS. While the community as a whole has been doing its part to physically distance during this time, for some people it could be a matter of life or death. For those with weakened or suppressed immune systems, it’s critically important that they remain clean and healthy…

Part Eight: The Birthday Parade. Being stuck inside has its ups and downs, and a big downside rears its head when birthdays roll around. Put simply, we need to find ways to celebrate birthdays differently. While these celebrations can be disappointing, adults at least understand why in-person parties need to be called off…

Part Nine: The New Grandparents. In November 2019, local couple RJ and Ruth MacKenzie became grandparents for the first time when their daughter gave birth to a son, Noah. The parents live in Dauphin, which means it would take about four hours of driving for them to connect in person…

Part Ten: The Expats. Tyler and Heidi Wiebe moved with their two daughters to Australia in January 2020 for health reasons. After living in Niverville his whole life, Tyler was experiencing migraines so severe that the family decided they were willing to change continents, attracted by the stable weather pressure systems on the east coast near Brisbane…

Part Eleven: Getting Married. A wedding day is one of the most memorable and important days in a couple’s life. People spend months, sometimes years, planning out all the details. This was the case for local couple Becky Mentuck and Darryl Wolfe, who planned to have a big wedding with their family and friends in April…

More to come as this series continues over the course of the coming weeks and months.