Encouraging Words From The Copper Kettle
On the front table at Salt Spring Books, there is a friendly pink booklet by Copper Kettle called Some Encouraging Words. The truths it contains quickly draw you in; once you start browsing the pages it is hard to put down. Collections of quotes are bundled in sections like Change, Love, Time to Decide and The Heart of it All. I was curious about the genesis of this project and spoke with Cherie Geauvreau, who with Jewel Eldstrom founded the Copper Kettle Community Partnership. Copper Kettle is an essential part of our island community, sourcing emergency supplies for people without homes and working with other groups to provide services for the less fortunate.
“Ask yourself, ‘What words do I live by?’”
Cherie and Jewel have always collected sayings. They’ve often hosted community dinners and afterwards gathered people in a circle to “share the words that they live by.” In 2010 they were inspired to share their collection and published Some Encouraging Words through their own grassroots Conspiracy Press. Now in its 5th printing, they’ve put out 500 copies.
As 2020 progressed it was obvious that a reprint was needed. Cherie noticed the fear throughout Salt Spring’s community as Covid-19 restrictions broke down our networks and thought, “Let’s reset. We need to encourage each other and not take each other down.”
The 2020 edition has all of the original content, with some new sayings sprinkled throughout. As a recent transplant to Salt Spring still decompressing from city life, one section called “Survival Tips” resonated with me:
No matter what is going on,
use your brains, breathe, and don’t panic.Learn to see in the dark and
teach the children too.Learn about the food
and medicines in the forest.Know who your neighbours are.
Choose wisely.
Go inside for what is right.
Go towards those who do you no harm.
About this page, Cherie noted “The more self-reliant we become, the more our ability to help others increases.” A strong community is essential on a small island, but it goes hand-in-hand with the ability to take care of ourselves.
“We all came in on different ships, but we’re all in the same boat now.”
This project embodies the importance of sharing within a community to keep everyone thriving: Jewel and Cherie shared food with their people, who in turn shared the words that they live by, which Conspiracy Press has shared with all of us. “They come from a place of truth,” Cherie adds about the encouraging words. “You can’t beat that”.
