In the last edition of the Orléans Star, I wrote a column commenting on the apparent death of common courtesy in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of course there have been exceptions here and there, the most obvious of which was the response to the severe windstorm that devastated Navan and the surrounding community on May 21.

Within minutes of the storm passing through their community, the residents of Navan responded en masse.

After taking a moment to survey the damage that was left in the storm’s wake, neighbours were already going door-to-door to check on each other. Almost as immediately, they were pitching in to clear debris from each other’s driveways and joining together to clear debris from the streets. Others armed with chainsaws, formed small units and went door-to-door to clear trees that had fallen against their neighbours’ houses.

Still others who weren’t physically able to help out with the clean up, made muffins and cookies and sandwiches to hand out to the volunteers.

It was a demonstration of neighbours helping neighbours that we don’t often see nowadays except in the aftermath of disaster. Except this is Navan that were talking about. And knowing Navan the way I do, I understand all too well that the this demonstration of selflessness was no anomaly. It was not a simple knee jerk reaction to a catastrophe. It was a demonstration of what makes Navan Navan. It was a demonstration of what makes Navan such a special place.

Navan has a long history of coming together in times of disaster. The community came together when the J.T. Bradley’s & Sons general store burned to the ground. While the store was being rebuilt, they continued to purchase their groceries and other sundry items out of a makeshift operation to support the owners.

They rallied again in 1953 when the arena burned to the ground and had to be rebuilt.

Time and again they’ve answered the bell when called to action. They donated tens of thousands of dollars to help renovate St. Mary’s church and build a cenotaph. They also helped fund the Navan Curling Club and bought tickets to street dances and other events to help cover the losses suffered by the 2001 International Plowing Match in the aftermath of 9/11.

I’ve often joked that Navan is the hosta capital of Canada, and if you don’t believe me just take a drive through the village sometime. I defy you to find a house that doesn’t have at least one of the leafy plants on their property.

But all joking aside, Navan is very definitely one of tightest-knit capitals of Canada with all the common courtesy, kindness and consid-eration of each other that implies..