'Brighter days are ahead,' mayor says as unprecedented year wraps up

SooToday received a holiday message from Mayor Christian Provenzano to the Sault community.

In addition to wishing everyone a happy holiday season, Provenzano has thanked Saultites for following public health guidelines amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The mayor also took the time to recognize our local front-line workers for their for their role in fighting COVID-19. 

Provenzano urges Saultites to continue to be patient, kind, and follow public health advice 'until we beat this pandemic.'

The full text reads as follows:

“On behalf of City Council, City staff, myself and my family, I want to wish everyone in our community the best of the holiday season and a Merry Christmas.

I also want to thank everyone in our community who has made the effort to be safe and to follow the public health advice we have received. The pandemic has affected almost every aspect of our lives in very difficult ways and many people have made significant sacrifices for the betterment of our community at-large.

Many of you have not travelled to see your children, or have asked your children not to travel back home to see you. Many of you have not spent as much time with your grandchildren as you normally would, with many grandchildren missing their grandparents. Many friends have not socialized for a long while or have socialized much less than they would like.

Some people have spent very little time with their family and friends, if at all. More people are much more alone than usual. I see, recognize and respect these sacrifices and I am grateful for them. The strength of a community is most evident when people demonstrate care for each other. I see that strength in Sault Ste. Marie everyday. Thank you.      

I also want to recognize all of the unsung heroes of 2020: the team at Algoma Public Health, the team at Sault Area Hospital, our doctors, nurse practitioners and nurses, the support and care staff at our nursing and retirement homes, our paramedics and bus drivers, our grocery store workers and small businesses owners, our child care providers and our teachers.

You have all played an outsized role in fighting the pandemic, keeping our community safe and keeping it moving. On behalf of the City of Sault Ste. Marie, I express my deepest appreciation to all of you. Thank you.

As we wrap up 2020 and head towards 2021, we can do so knowing that brighter days are ahead. Let us continue to be patient with and kind to one another and let’s commit to keeping ourselves and each other safe by following our public health advice until we beat this pandemic.

I am abidingly optimistic about our community’s future and I have confidence that 2021 will be a good year for Sault Ste. Marie.”