Community members describe 2020, reveal hopes for new year

As 2020 draws to a close, it should be safe to say that most people are looking forward to putting one of the most difficult years in modern history behind them.
Heading into 2021, an ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause suffering around the globe.
There have been more than 82 million people infected with a virus that has caused nearly 1.8 million deaths.
In the United States alone, more than 19.5 million have contracted the virus and the death toll has surpassed 340,000.
There are not many, if any, aspects of our lives that have not been impacted by the pandemic.
With a new year fast approaching, members of the community were asked to respond to two questions: How would you describe 2020? What are your hopes for 2021?
Their responses to those questions are as follows:
Darrell Gallegos, owner of Farm Country Ford: 2020 - “Challenging, but rewarding at the same time in the way of wealth of knowledge because it was my first year of having a car dealership. Man, did I learn a lot.”
2021 - “Hopefully growth for my business. With the vaccine rolling out I am hoping we can attempt to go back to some type of normality in 2021.”

Annie Bergmann, Concordia Chamber of Commerce director: 2020 - “Community outpouring of support towards locally owned businesses.”
2021 - “Continue to think local, shop local. Support the people you know.”

Steve Wetter, Homestore manager: 2020 - “Adaptability. You had to be willing to change.”
2021 - “I hope that the vaccine helps as much as they say it will, and we will be able to get back to some kind of normalcy, whatever that is.”

Kim Reynolds, CloudCorp executive director: 2020 - “2020 has thrown challenge after challenge to all of us, and we have been forced to deal with some extraordinary changes extremely quickly and all at the same time. It has required every one of us to be resilient. Citizens of Cloud County have worked hard to overcome.”
2021 - “My hope for 2021 is that we will continue to turn the challenging experiences into positive outcomes using the opportunities to learn, grow, develop and thrive.”

Elaine Bowers, Kansas Senator District 36: 2020 - “Messy, unique, challenging.”
2021 – As a lawmaker, she is looking forward to seeing the federal dollars the state has received for technology being put to use to create more legislative transparency. As a business owner, “I am still optimistic about the future of our businesses.”

Susie Haver, Cloud County Tourism director: 2020 - “We had high hopes for 2020 dashed.”
2021 - “In 2021, we expect to look good.”

Toby Nosker, KNCK News Director: “2020 is the year I discovered a newfound appreciation for so many things I previously took for granted. At the top of that list are the essential employees, those members of our community we relied on this year more than ever, from frontline healthcare professionals to public school teachers to grocery store workers.”
2021 - “My hope is that we are able to replace the chaos and sadness and dissension of this year with more kindness, more compassion, more empathy and more decency in 2021 and beyond.”

Greta Snapp, Jitter's Coffee House owner: 2020 - “2020, what a year!”
2021 - “I am looking forward to 2021. Can't wait to see our Jitter's Family in the new year.”