SUDBURY -- It's the seventh month of the pandemic and a grassroots group in Sudbury is asking people to uplift their neighbours with messages of hope and kindness.

Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury is organizing the campaign and says it all about connecting and supporting each other.

On one front lawn, Harrie the heron offers words of encouragement.

"The elevator to success is out of order. You'll have to take the stairs one step at a time."

The Coalition wants people in neighbourhoods to offer these types of messages during the month of October.

'Feeling a weariness'

"We are feeling a weariness in the community around the pandemic," said Naomi Grant, co-chair of Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury. "There are more restrictions coming now, just as we were hoping to gather for Thanksgiving. Winter is coming."

Neighbourhoods are encouraged to take part and post pictures on social media with the hashtag #NeighbourhoodsTogether.

"Fill your neighbourhood with some good spirits and go out, enjoy it, feel the love of your neighbours, maybe chat from across the road. Share some positive feeling together and then share, just take some pictures," said Grant.

We met Alan Steed on the boardwalk of Bell Park. He said seeing the messages is uplifting.

"I think it's something we should be doing all the time. I believe that deep down inside people have goodness within them and I think that we attract that goodness in others when we show it ourselves," said Steed, who was visiting Sudbury from Elliot Lake.

He believes in good deeds and has been trying to help others during the pandemic.

"The old saying is, love makes the world go 'round, and I think that especially in times when people are feeling isolated, anything we can do to uplift others is a benefit to them and will also benefit us," said Steed.

The Coalition is also encouraging people to plant bulbs this fall where they can be seen from the sidewalk, and will bloom in the spring.

The group is planning monthly COVID friendly events and a neighbourhood prize will be awarded next summer.