A grassroots community group has been recognized for providing online information sessions to help Chatham-Kent residents make informed decisions on vaccines.
Come Together CK received an Award of Excellence earlier this summer from the International Association of Business Communicators, London Chapter, for its Vaccine Facebook Live sessions.
The volunteer-driven group developed the information sessions when organizers realized there was a need for clear and reliable information as the COVID-19 vaccine was first introduced across Chatham-Kent in early 2021.
The sessions were free to everyone and allowed residents to ask questions in the comment thread, which would then be answered live by a local health care professional.
“We were noticing, by talking to people, that they wanted to talk to people that they knew and trusted. They were getting information from the government, their Facebook, public health,” said Brent Wilken, an organizer with Come Together CK.
A total of 17 information sessions were held throughout 2021, with local family physicians, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, OB-GYNs, and pediatricians all participating.
“This wasn’t a pro-vaccine campaign. This was Chatham-Kent citizens doing what they do best,” said Wilken, adding that the process really resonated with people. “This was Chatham-Kent citizens trying to help each other.”
Wilken said the information sessions were so successful that additional sessions were held to meet the demand. He said the public response was also so positive that there were around 300 positive comments posted online for each one negative comment.
“In a time of so much divisiveness, it was a welcomed breath of fresh air,” said Wilken.
Come Together CK was announced as an award winner during the Virtuoso Awards, which celebrates excellence in communications and the best in creative strategy and design.
