One generator powering five homes: sharing kindness and electricity

Out of the tragedy of Saturday’s storm, come stories of people helping each other.

As entire neighbourhoods are still without power, there are connections being made between neighbours.

Jan and Malcolm Zander have been sharing their generator’s electricity with four other neighbours, since power went out on Saturday in their Pineglen neighbourhood.

“We didn’t even realize, I don’t think, that we could power so many homes,” Jan Zander tells CTV News Ottawa. “That’s the right thing to do. People in need—we were all in need, we were all in shock, actually, at the severity of the storm.”

“It’s (the generator) 14-kilowatts, so that’s a lot,” says Malcolm Zander.

Because they and their neighbours are on well water, when they lose electricity, they lose water too. The generator is powering pumps, fridges, and freezers.

“Our freezer is good, all the food that’s in there is great and the kindness that he is so selflessly giving, it means everything,” says neighbour Grace Call, who is connected by an extension cord running across the street. “Our good neighbour has a generator, and he is servicing one, two, three, four other houses.”

The line of extension cords runs through yards and across the road.

“Incredible help. They’re so graceful but this is typical of this neighbourhood,” says next-door neighbour Dorota Stoddart.

FREE HOT MEALS AND SHOWERS

Nearby, a tent and trailer are serving up burgers, hotdogs, and pizza, as well as offering a charging station for phones.

“We’re just here to bring a little bit of encouragement and just to love on them, and feed them, give them water, charge their phones—whatever needs to be done,” says Donna Boisbert with Respond Ottawa.

Agnes Warda, cice-president of the Glens Community Association is thankful for the help.

“It’s a well wishes for the community, I cannot express the word; it’s a tremendous, tremendous help to the community, and we really appreciate this.”

A trailer with showers has also been setup in the parking lot of the Metropolitan Bible Church on Prince of Wales Drive for workers and residents.