The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.ne

GRAND Bahama resident Collette Williams is showing her appreciation to essential workers on the frontline of the COVID-19 fight by delivering some of her baked goods and treats to them on the job.

Mrs Williams – who loves to bake and cook — said it is the least she could do to thank those health care workers, police, customs and immigration officers amid the coronavirus outbreak.

She said it is a joy to see the surprise and appreciation on their faces when she presents them with her box of goodies.

“Their faces light up and that means a lot to me, and one police officer… was next to tears and really appreciated the gesture,” she said.

Although she is not working due to the COVID-19 shutdown, she felt it was important to give back and show appreciation to those men and women who are on the front line daily.

She has dropped off a box of her baked goods to the Rand Memorial Hospital, the Kidney Centre, the airport, and other places.

To curtail the spread of the virus locally, the government has implemented a national lockdown and 24-hour curfew.

While at home, Mrs Williams takes to social media sharing her recipes, cooking tips and techniques, and posting live demos of her cooked meals and baked goods on Facebook.

Sharing her love of food is a passion for her, and she began honing her cooking skills at age nine in the kitchen with her mother and grandmother.

Although she has never received any professional or formal training in cooking or baking, her presentations are that of a professional chef. Mrs Williams posts many meals and baked goods on the Grand Bahama Wine & Dine Facebook page, where people post photos of their cooking skills.

“I have a degree in hospitality management, and I had been working in the hotel industry for many years,” she said. “Cooking is a hobby for me - I love doing it. My friends are always asking me for recipes, and I love sharing them through my demos online, and I encourage them to also bake and share with our essential workers.

“I find that giving back makes me feel good and helps me not to focus so much on myself and my struggles,” said Mrs Williams.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian last, Mrs Williams delivered chicken souse to people in the hurricane shelters.

In the US, health care workers and others on the frontline have contracted the disease, and some have died. In the Bahamas, health professionals are also being affected, and the country recorded its first physician COVID-19 related death when veteran nephrologist Dr Judson Eneas died earlier this month.

Mrs Williams noted that police officers and hospital workers put themselves on the line, but are under-appreciated for what they do.

“Whenever it is time to give back, they are first I think about. And I encourage more people to find special ways to show essential workers that they are appreciated and valued,” she said.