The COVID-19 pandemic is truly an unprecedented challenge for our community. With schools closed, businesses shut down or adapting to customer needs and people working from home, it’s natural to have many different reactions. Grief, sadness, frustration, anger, loneliness and anxiety are all normal emotions to experience. But the reaction we want to express right now is gratitude.
We Appreciate Our Community
The Lynchburg community, and the Central Virginia area as a whole, have come together during this crisis. In compliance with state and federal social distancing and quarantine regulations, people have begun watching out for one another by caring for their health and limiting physical interaction with one another. Following these guidelines will help us get through this more quickly, and we want to thank you for doing so.
We also want to thank those workers in our community who are performing essential duties. These include, but are not limited to:
- Healthcare professionals on the front lines of treating COVID-19 and other medical cases
- Retail, grocery and food service workers providing us with much-needed sustenance and supplies
- Custodians and janitorial staff working hard to keep public and community areas clean and resistant to COVID-19 and other germs
- First responders who continually tend to the urgent needs of the community
- Transportation workers who get people where they need to go and also deliver mail, packages and stock for stores
- Maintenance workers who are keeping our utilities and other necessary public services running
- Community leaders and volunteers who are helping other people get through this crisis with support and aid
We’re also aware that many local businesses and everyday people are contributing to the effort of stopping COVID-19 by making safety supplies like masks, face shields and medical apparel. Some are even making, donating or lending ventilators and other medical equipment to help patients recover more quickly.
To all of these essential workers, and to all others who have helped the community in the midst of this trying time: thank you, thank you, thank you! You are helping hold things together until life can return to normal once more.
Some Encouragement
We know firsthand that working in the midst of this season is difficult and sometimes upsetting. But we want to encourage you to keep pressing forward. Take time for your personal wellness and get some rest. Reach out to neighbors, friends and family members if you’re in need or if you know someone is in need.
Please do yourself and the community a favor and be safe in whatever traveling or out-of-the-house activities that you need to do, and think of others’ safety as you do. Wash your hands, wear protective masks and maintain appropriate distances. This pandemic will end eventually and we will all be able to come together in person once again. But until then, we will express our gratitude and affection from behind protective barriers or from six feet away!
Thank you again!
