A Pelham councillor caught up in a storm of public backlash after he continued to go to work while sick is apologizing.
Ron Kore, who owns the Fonthill Sobeys location, says the past few weeks have been 'difficult and eye opening' and he apologizes for any unintended consequences his actions caused early on in this pandemic.
He says as the demand on his store increased, his instinct was to be there with his team and he thought he was doing the right thing.
Kore says he now realizes some of his actions and the optics around them were 'imperfect.'
He writes that the Sobeys location is taking every precaution available to protect the health and wellbeing of customers and employees.
Sobeys Director of External Communications Natasha Compton says an investigation of the Fonthill store shows the location adhered to all cleaning and sanitization standards. 'Today we are welcoming Ron back to the store to continue managing the location as our franchisee partner.'
He concludes by saying, "I will work hard to gain back your confidence and trust.'
Kore says he was self-quarantined from April 13th to the 17th. On April 20th, he received a positive test result for COVID-19, but he was told by a Public Health nurse that he was no longer infectious and could resume normal activities.
A fellow Pelham councillor, Mike Ciolfi, died from an illness believed to be COVID-19. The pair attended the same March 23rd council meeting although some distance was put between participants.
To the residents of Fonthill,
This community means everything to me.
I would never intentionally risk the health of anyone, including my teammates, neighbors, customers and family. The past few weeks have been difficult and eye opening. I want to apologize for any unintended consequences my actions caused early on in this pandemic and the resulting stress and hurt it may have caused the community.
As a business owner, I found myself in uncharted territory in the early days of this pandemic. The store was busier than it had ever been and my colleagues and I at Sobeys were under a lot of pressure. My instinct was to be there in the trenches with my teams who desperately needed more on-the-ground help to support our community’s needs. At the same time, details and updates related to COVID-19 were emerging and changing rapidly. I thought I was doing the right thing and taking the precautions necessary based on my interpretation of the information I had and the advice I was getting. However, I now realize that some of my decisions, and the optics around them, were imperfect and I am very sorry for this.
As I return to work, I want to assure the community that Sobeys Fonthill has taken and is taking every precaution available to protect the health and wellbeing of our teammates and customers. We have implemented all safety measures required for franchise locations across the country and in compliance with public health protocols. Nothing is more important than your health and safety.
Over these past few weeks I have gained some difficult but necessary lessons that I will carry with me. I have learned from this experience and I am committed to this community more than ever. I will work hard to gain back your confidence and trust. As a local resident and small business owner, I have witnessed first-hand what an incredible community this is and I am proud to call it home. It is an honour and privilege to serve Pelham.
Thank you to everyone in the community who has come together to support one another during these unprecedented times.
I hope you stay safe and healthy.
Ron Kore Sobeys Fonthill Franchisee Owner Operator