By Rose Strong
It’s clear this is a precedent setting time in history, filled with uncertainty, fear and sadness. It’s also a time when we are seeing what the American spirit is truly made of. We are strong, persistent and steadfast as a group. We also are exhibiting our collective creativity!
I have been truly amazed at how much we have used our imaginations to rid ourselves of boredom, retool our work and school schedules with technology, and celebrate one another and special events within the confines of social distancing and stay-at-home orders.
Businesses are working diligently to stay afloat with restaurants, food markets, craft stores, beer distributors, auto mechanics, pet food and farm supply stores, and others offering curbside pick-up or home delivery as they’re considered essential businesses. But what if you’re not an essential business?
Locally, The Knitter’s Edge in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, a small-town yarn shop, is posting on Facebook and sending newsletters via email that they are doing mail orders so people can still knit and crochet at this time. They are in the store from 10:30 am -3:00 pm three days a week checking the business and getting mail, while also filling orders to stay afloat. In addition, they’ve opened a page on Facebook for customers to gather, ask questions, seek patterns and show off their work. In a matter of 26 hours, they had more than 400 members. I’m sure there’s that same business ingenuity going on in your area.
Do you take yoga or fitness classes? Check with your instructor and see if they are giving online or streaming classes. A new pilates studio opened up last month about a mile from my house and immediately had to turn to streaming classes to keep the momentum of a new business going.
Have you heard honking and people whooping it up in your neighborhood? Could be someone’s birthday! Several people on the Furia Rubel team have said this has happened in their neighborhoods. People make signs, get noisemakers, ring bells and yell out their windows as they pass the person’s home who’s having the birthday. They’re social distancing and not getting out of their vehicles, but still able to honor their friend or neighbor with something special during what is otherwise a difficult time. It makes people feel important, loved and connected.
Birthdays also are yielding a lot of other creative celebrations, all of them socially distant compliant. Here’s how folks in Maine have found some creative ways to make little celebrations vibrant and fun during the pandemic.
Have you thought of a bear hunt, a scavenger hunt in your neighborhood? Neighbors are hiding teddy bears, rainbows, hearts, painted rocks, and other things throughout neighborhoods for parents to take their kids on a walk, get some fresh air and find the objects.
Dating during the novel coronavirus? Oh yeah. Dating apps like Match, Tinder, eHarmony, and Zoosk, offer video dating. Some are even texting reminders to wash your hands and once you verify that you’ve done that, they send you a new match to chat with.
Zoom weddings? You read correct! And it is now a trend for people who had their nuptials planned and were suddenly caught by the shelter-in-place orders of various states. They have used the online meeting tool to celebrate with family and friends. The Verge has written about several couples wishing to tie the knot. It’s the old, ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way,’ cliché and for some, love just won’t wait.
For more coronavirus resources, please visit our Coronavirus (COVID-19) Crisis & PR Resource Center.
