The Greater Vernon Museum & Archives, along with all other non-essential businesses and organizations, closed its doors to the public three weeks ago in accordance with social distancing measures.
鈥淟ike so many people in our community, we at the museum think a connection with arts, culture, and heritage is absolutely essential to our well-being,鈥� said executive director Steve Fleck. This is why he was thrilled that the GVMA has been given a lead role in managing and maintaining the Isolate & Create website.
An initiative of the Regional District of the North Okanagan, with online resources made possible with funding through the RDNO, the Isolate & Create site highlights the online resources, content and programming of not for profit organizations across the North Okanagan are creating during this time of isolation.
鈥淭here are so many amazing project partners, from all across the North Okanagan, offering fantastic resources the public can access online in one place 鈥� a live animal cam, daily arts challenges, nature education materials, how-to videos, a virtual gallery tour, and more,鈥� said GVMA community engagement coordinator Gwyn Evans.
鈥淏ut not only that 鈥� it gives visitors to the site ways to share their own creations and experiences during isolation,鈥� explains Fleck. 鈥淎ll of our experiences during this time, as individuals and as a community, really are our shared history in the making.鈥�
鈥淣ow, what we鈥檇 really love to do, is to have people feel inspired to share their own stories of isolation, through art, photography, writing, videos. Anything your feel inspired to post or share 鈥� a cute photo of a pet, a recipe, a photo of a child鈥檚 drawing, a teen鈥檚 TikTok.鈥�
鈥淵ou may think what you鈥檙e creating, or how you鈥檙e coping during isolation is silly or mundane,鈥� said the museum鈥檚 program coordinator Laisha Rosnau. 鈥淏ut that鈥檚 the magic of our shared history 鈥� most of it is made up of all these seemingly mundane every day moments, impacted every once in a while by big events, like the one we鈥檙e currently living through.鈥�
GVMA has several resources on the Isolate & Create site already 鈥� oral histories, including one of a nurse during the 1918 Flu Pandemic, glimpses into what museum curator, Cuyler Page, is doing behind the scenes in the museum while it is closed, an online book club of historical fiction based in the Okanagan, and more.
鈥淎nd, we鈥檝e had a lot of fun putting it all together 鈥� the website, the ideas, the resources,鈥� said Fleck. 鈥淯ntil we can be back in the museum, working together in person, it鈥檚 been great to create this together as we isolate in our own home working spaces.鈥� He adds, 鈥淲e hope it inspires others to do the same.鈥�
Go to for resources, ideas and inspiration from all the project partner organizations.
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