LOOKING AHEAD

Hoping we will come through this crisis with more empathy for our fellow man by Dee Long, Sunshine Valley, B.C.

- Dee Long

LIFE IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS

As of this writing (April 20), there are more than 35,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Canada and the numbers are still expected to rise. The following pages are devoted to sharing contributor stories of hope and inspiration in these trying times. We hope you are all staying healthy and safe.

Self-isolation is easier when you live in a gated community, and your front door is snowed in.

My name is Dee Long, guitarist, keyboard player and vocalist with the ‘70s Canadian band Klaatu. My wife Sydney and I are both 68 years old. I have several medical conditions, including asthma, and we are both considered at risk from this new virus.

That is why we have been self-isolating for weeks now. We live in a log cabin home in Sunshine Valley, B.C., which is in the district of Hope. Ironically, the second Klaatu album released in 1977 was titled “Hope,” which is a very beautiful song written by John Woloschuk. John also co-wrote the song “Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft,” with Terry Draper, which was a world-wide hit for The Carpenters, and became the signature song for our band.

This year started off with a lot of snow and rain in our area. New Year’s Eve brought us power failures that went on for days. I recall saying things will almost certainly get better from here on, then COVID-19 came along.