Our community has walked a winding path over the past two years, however with COVID restrictions easing and life returning to somewhat closer to normal, the light at the end of the tunnel is definitely shining brighter.
The pandemic has impacted us all, challenging us emotionally, financially, and mentally, and has often physically separated us from our loved-ones and support networks of family and friends.
I am so proud to be a part of a community that continually demonstrates resilience in times of hardship, and through our true community spirit we’ve found ways to stay positive, work together and confront our challenges head- on, always knowing that things will change and that our future remains positive and bright.
Your Council has worked closely with our community and the many support agencies to provide financial and other assistance to those who have been struggling, and implemented a range of initiatives to support and help ease the strain on businesses and individuals.
But the real achievement has come from within our community. We’ve supported each other and connected like never before, found new ways of doing business, kept in touch with family and friends, and worked together to reunite our Albury and Wodonga cities in a COVID-safe way.
We’ve embraced the health measures needed to minimise the risk to our community, we wore masks, maintained social distancing, focussed on hygiene through sanitising, got tested, and checked in on our neighbours.
Most significantly we understood how ‘two little jabs’ are our best protection, and it is so pleasing to see more than 90 per cent of us fully vaccinated… another testament to our willingness to work together to protect our community.
At Council, we enthusiastically supported the Let’s Do This campaign, knowing that the quickest way to bounce back was to ensure as many of us as possible got the jab.
Special thanks must go to those on the front line – our doctors, nurses, health professionals, police and emergency service community, and all those continuing to work tirelessly to keep our community safe.
Living life with COVID may be a little different, but one thing will remain unchanged, our community connection, neighbourly bonds and community spirit will remain as strong as ever.
So as 2021 nears its end, and we look forward to spending Christmas with our loved ones, we should all be so proud of the way we have met the challenges of 2021, and all look forward to a new year full of hope and opportunity.