By Bruce Corcoran
Chatham-Kent residents Mike and Mary Genge are self-distancing these days and working from home, but still managing to help others.
Mike, executive director of the Foundation of the Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent, and Mary, one of the owners of Hub Creative Group, are remaining connected, yet distant with friends. And that even includes a couple of special deliveries recently.
The first was a pizza delivery. Not a simple task when you live on Lake Erie, miles from any pizza joint.
But Mike likes to cook.
“Two weeks ago, we had a friend coming back from the United States and a friend returning from Calgary,” he said. “They had to self-isolate. But halfway through last week, they were starting to go a little squirrelly, and I thought, ‘I could make homemade pizzas and deliver them to them.’ I got my pizza oven going.
“I didn’t tell them. I showed up at the door with a pizza in the pan. I rang the bell and I ran. They really appreciated it.”
Mike said the payback took place 24 hours later.
“Literally within a day, they showed up and did the same thing. They left a pot of soup on my doorstep, rang the doorbell and took off,” he said.
Mike said the friendly generosity has continued as well. Another family friend who is an avid fisherman told Mike to leave the garage door open.
“He dropped off pickerel for dinner,” Mike said. “We’re just trying to help each other out and mix it up a bit.”
Mike also hopes the mutual support catches on.
“I just hope people will think of their neighbours. Dropping off some cookies or a pizza or a pot of soup is not a big deal, but it makes a big difference in someone else’s life, especially if they are by themselves or if they are self-isolating.”
He is also regularly posting on social media what he’s cooking for dinner. He credits this writer with being a bit of an inspiration for that.
“Have some fun. That’s why I post what I’m cooking on Facebook, just like you do,” he said to this writer. “It encourages people to eat something other than Kraft dinner. You have time to cook something really neat.”
