It started with what they have named "Sunshine Calls".

Almost immediately after the government of Saskatchewan declared a state of emergency, effectively ushering much of the province into the sudden new normal of working from home, SaskAbilities in Swift Current started picking up the phone.

Kim Furey is the program senior supervisor.

She says that once people started staying at home and social distancing, it threatened to cause a barrier when your operation is all about providing a service to people.

"Once people were staying home and we were not able to connect in traditional ways in the community, we had done so much in the community that, it was like all of a sudden, community disappeared. How do we bring that back now that we can't see you and interact with you."

Knowing that people were home, and knowing that people were unable to connect in the ways that they had been used to, She and the team at SaskAbilities came up with the Sunshine Call and started phoning people.

Furey admits that at first, some were confused, wondering why they were being called; as though the idea of a phone call that exists 'just to brighten someone's day' is nearly a foreign concept in this day and age. But soon enough, you could tell that people were appreciative of the reach out; even looking forward to the phone calls.

"It's really been a great way to connect and touch base with people and learn about their week, their days, what are they doing and also a way that we could help direct people to some of the other community supports that are available."

What began with phone calls grew from there.

In a classic case of a silver lining, the COVID-19 pandemic and the various restrictions it has brought have caused a surge of creativity from SaskAbilities in terms of using technology to deliver on their mandate from a distance.

Furey is effusive in her praise of the support workers and their seemingly endless creativity coming up with new programming on the fly using tools such as Microsoft Teams and other virtual experiences that their members can join online.

"We've done things like walk by the creek, we've done tours of the titanic underwater, we've done science experiments outside, we've been doing yoga, we've been stretching, we've checked a truck out - under the hood of a truck - and went and checked out the engines and the motors and done things of that nature."

Even something as simple as joining Furey herself on a walk around the block via a group video call; combining exercise, sunshine and good conversation. Keeping people moving while still social distancing while managing to maintain the connection to the community that the organization is so proud of.

It hasn't been without its challenges, of course. And Furey gives a great deal of credit to the groups I.T. department in keeping all of those experiences running.

A challenge also is simply universal access to the technologies needed to participate.

While Microsoft Teams does include a phone-in option for those who do not have access to the internet, she admits that it's probably not as fun to hear a science experiment as it would be to watch it.

Despite those challenges, however, Furey is proud of the response that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought out in her team.

"I see it in our own team, the team building that has come from us having to work remotely and be apart. I know once we come together again, it is going to be an even stronger team and I feel that Swift Current as well, will have that same connection and that will be a stronger community coming out of this together."

For herself, she says that she can't wait for the day to come where people can get back to having physical connections and enjoying each other again.

"it's just going to be so special to have those smiles, those faces, those high-fives, and those connections again where we can again go and enjoy a show together or enjoy meals together and just enjoy that community."