As Canadians figure out new ways to live and work during the COVID-19 pandemic, one thing that hasn’t changed is community spirit. It’s something that continues to bind us together, even at times when we must be physically apart. From coast-to-coast, people are finding ways to be good neighbours – people like Bowmanville’s Canadian Tire Associate Dealer and General Manager, David Urso and Robert Merenda.
Urso and Merenda have dedicated countless hours to their community, organizing the distribution of much-needed supplies to the town’s first responders and vital community organizations. To date, the pair have donated 10,000 masks, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes and cleansers to the Bowmanville Hospital, Durham Regional Police, a women’s shelter, and local firefighters and paramedics.
Durham Regional Police took to social media to express their gratitude. “Our community has come together in many ways to support each other during this pandemic,” Durham Regional Police said in a tweet. “We are thankful for organizations such as the Bowmanville Canadian Tire store for their support and donations, including 2,000 surgical masks for our members.”
For Urso and Merenda, this is more than a one-off gesture. In the weeks ahead, they plan to donate much-needed supplies to local Salvation Army volunteers. They are also reaching out to area retirement homes to assess their needs. As essential inventory arrives at the store, Urso intends to follow up with each frontline organization to arrange for future donations.
DurhamRegion.com’s story on this donation can be read online. At Canadian Tire Corporation, we are committed to helping our employees, our customers and the communities we serve navigate through COVID-19 together. For the latest information on what we’re doing to slow the spread of the virus, please continue to visit our COVID-19 Response Page.