By Charmaine Johnson (CJ)
My name is Charmaine. Some of my friends call me CJ. I am a Self-Advocate of Nanaimo.
We have meetings by telephone because of Covid. We are doing a workshop to teach others about being a self-advocate.
Every month we have a learning circle. We learn things about living a good life. At our last circle we wore silly hats and had mini-self-care pies. We shared our stories about friendship, played friendship balloon tennis and made a friendship circle out of blue paper ribbon. During Covid I try to keep busy. I like to get out, do stuff and meet people.
I volunteer at the Bike Shop. People are friendly and helpful there. They give me a chance to learn new skills. I get to fix bikes, patch tubes and recycle tires. Every two weeks I go to the farmer’s market with my friend, Barbara.
We buy fresh vegetables, fruits and meats through a coupon program at Foodshare Nanaimo. I met a new friend in my neighbourhood when I was walking my dog, Sassy.
Last month I wrote a letter to the editor asking people to stay safe and follow Dr. Bonnie’s health rules.
We can all stay safe if we follow the rules:
. Keep six feet apart
. Keep your social bubble small
. Wear a mask
. Be kind to others