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January 2022 - Nuggets - NAVIGATING COVID AT CHRISTMAS

January 2022 - Nuggets - NAVIGATING COVID AT CHRISTMAS

Who would have thought back in December 2020, when for the first time in over 35 years, we had to cancel our annual Christmas Gala due to COVID-19, that one year later we would still be contending with the same issue? But contend we were.
 
We started out quite hopeful this year with the hall booked for our Christmas Gala, along with the menu selected, DJ lined up. Photographer booked. And so on. Then, to test the waters, we sent out a questionnaire to all our staff and agents to get a sense of who would be coming. As it turned out, a little over half just weren’t comfortable with the COVID climate even with protocols in place. So, not wanting to party with over half of our Agents missing, we decided to cancel.
 
Last year we held an office open house with groups of 10 booked at a time. Response was excellent. We had a chance to meet and greet most of our Agents and keeping in our Christmas tradition, gave each a pecan pie and bottle of wine or liquor.
 
This year, with the COVID numbers once again spiking, we elected not to promote a gathering. Instead, we designed and sent to each of our Agents and Staff a charcuterie box delivered to their home. Lots of good festive eating and very well received by all accounts.
 
Wanting to do something personal for our Staff, we set up a Christmas luncheon, scheduled for Tuesday, December 21st at the St. Catharines Club. About an hour before the event, we got a call from the Club letting us know the event had to be cancelled. One of their staff had tested positive for COVID and as a result the Club was shut down.
 
Some last-minute scrambling, and we were able to arrange a private room at Ostins, the new restaurant at the Holiday Inn in St. Catharines. New dining limits restricted seating to 10 at a table, so we had to set 2 tables, but with a private room it worked out fine. Food, service, both were excellent. Thanks Vicki for jumping in and making it happen.
 


Following lunch, Deb Quirk headed out to some of the hinterlands of the peninsula to deliver charcuterie boxes to homes outside the delivery area. Her journey took her to Fort Erie, Dunnville, Burlington, Paris and parts in between, but at the end of the day, pretty well everyone was accounted for.
 
It will be wonderful, one day to be back to normal with Gala Christmas and Award functions, parties, socials and so on. But in the meantime, we’ll always find a way to connect. All in all, Christmas was still very special here at RE/MAX Garden City Realty Inc. in spite of the lingering pandemic.