By Pete Gardner

I wanted to express my heartfelt sympathy to any of you out there that may have lost a loved one, friend or family member to this swiftly spreading Coronavirus. The almost utter disbelief that something like this could happen in our country and around the world in this day and age is shattering. The impact has been devastating on our health, human lives, and our economic stability. Trying to combat the spread of this virus is foremost in our minds now and has awakened us to how vulnerable humanity can be when not prepared. In addition to the spread of the virus are the variants. Hopefully the new vaccines will combat these variants and weaken the contagious spread.

For most of us, staying at home and only venturing out for necessities is the only way to help defeat this awful contagion. Trying to stay safe and healthy during this period has and might continue for a while, to be challenging and worrisome. The only thing we can do is what is suggested by our Medical Professionals and our Government Leaders. Hopefully, with everyone doing their part, this will pass and our families and nation will be safe again soon.

I also wanted to share my deep sincere appreciation for those out there that put themselves at risk to keep us fed, supplied and comfortable every day. Just to mention a few:

• Doctors and Hospital workers of all trades
• Grocery Store personnel
• Package and Mail delivery people
• Truck Drivers
• Waste Material Handlers (hospitals and general refuse)
• HVAC/R technicians and suppliers
• Our Power and Telephone companies

That is just to identify some. I am sure there are many more unsung heroes out there in the essential businesses that you might be aware of.
I wish all of you the best during this crisis; please try to stay healthy and get the vaccine as soon as possible. Let’s join together and beat this virus and get back normal.