A VIRUS JOURNAL April 17

 A COMMUNITY'S THOUGHTS - CONCORDIA, KS
The Blade-Empire is publishing this community journal as an ongoing record of the thoughts of our citizens as we embark on this journey through the coronavirus crisis.
Tell us what you think; your thoughts, fears and hopes for yourself, loved ones, and your fellow Americans. You may use your name; or you may submit anonymously.
When the pandemic is over, the Blade-Empire will publish the journal as a book. The thoughts of Concordians will become a time capsule and historical record for future generations to remember.

CORONAVIRUS TOLL
Worldwide: Infected-2,219,162   Deaths-149,884
Kansas: Infected-1,705   Deaths-84
Cloud County: Infected-3  Recovered-2

ON APRIL 15, KANSAS GOVERNOR LAURA KELLY EXTENDED THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER UNTIL MAY 3.

Nancy Greenwood: It has been my life experience that farm and agricultural folks are hardy and do not crumple under adversity. It in fact seems to make them stronger.
During the 1918 pandemic, my grandparents were expecting their first child when my grandfather became ill and grandma cared for him until his death. She spent every waking hour with him and forgot about eating or resting as he was the love of her young life. I was amazed that she did not get the virus even under such life-threatening conditions nor did the baby.
The “baby” is now 101 years old – my mother – Emily Eickmann, who is still healthy and living in her own home with our care. She is a shining example that farm and agricultural folks are very hardy and adverse conditions bring out new strength.

A CHS Senior: COVID-19 is one of many diseases that has infected a multitude of people over the ages, however, this is the first one to have a social media presence. The media has made people overreact and/or under-react without knowing the facts. As more documented information about the virus is known, it is clear to people to follow the guidelines, but sadly there are some people who do not follow the rules. As a whole we are unaware of who is a carrier of the virus and unknowingly spreading COVID-19. “Social distancing” is a vague and new phrase but staying home, washing your hands, and limiting yourself to essential outings is a must.  
Though there are many horrible aspects of this disease and disadvantages of the stay-at-home order, there are a few bright sides. It lets families bond more, especially for those families that have seniors that will leave in the fall. Some are learning how to cook or to contribute more to their household. Children will be able to go play in their yards during the afternoons instead of sitting in warm classrooms. Everyone can benefit from the extra sleep. Most importantly, it is teaching many of us that we have to be flexible and be willing to adjust according to what life is throwing at us. There is nothing we can do to change our situation except change our mindset. If we stay positive and follow the CDC guidelines, then there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Deborah Winters: I grew up in what I did not realize was probably a poor home down south and we always had a huge garden. We also walked the dirt roads in search of wild plums, blackberries, the woods for muskadines, huckleberries, and blueberries for jams and jellies. These times are some of my best memories with my siblings and my mom. We would pick, sing, eat, rest and pick some more for her bounty. It was with a great sense of accomplishment that my mom would line up all the mason jars of whatever she happened to be canning that day - all done on a wood stove in a non air conditioned house, at the end of high summer while tending to us three little ones not in school yet. (Yes, She was much more a woman than I!!!!) My Mom collected her mason jars and hoarded them like they were a great treasure. She would have hundreds of jars of canned tomatoes, beans, corn, jams, jellies, canned soup, pickled pigs feet, ketchup, hot peppers, pickled beets, peaches, relish, cucumbers, chow chow, everything that could be canned were packed in those jars in that oh so hot kitchen while my brothers and I played forts and house under the kitchen table. Then, when winter came, I would often watch my mom pack up a hamper full of these wonderful foods and tell daddy to "drop them by so and so's house on your way".  Always with the follow up of "tell her if she don't save me my jars, I won't send anymore" lol. By the end of winter, all the shelves in our store room would be empty of all those jars that to me seemed to go on forever just a few weeks before. My mom was strict, she was as they say down south, sometimes "fractious", she was a farmers wife with a bunch of kids that I am sure she got wearied of at times. But most of all, she was the most charitable person I ever met. She would wake at dawn or before, stoke up that old wood cookstove and go to canning and do it for 10, 15 hours a day till harvest was completely over and then give it all away to other folks that she thought was needy, could use, or "might want' as she used to say.
So it was with a heavy heart that I caught a segment on the news the other day and watched in absolute horror as a farmer allowed gallons and gallons of fresh milk to flow down the drain. He was told to "pour it out". I guess the logic was less market, could not sell. But it was so painful to watch this happen as scenes of shortages in stores, hungry babies crying, desperate moms searching for food for their children played in my mind as the milk disappeared down the drain. I wondered, in these times we are going thru with this terrible virus, if we will ever find a way to be more charitable and find ways to not waste the bounty of nature just because it seems more lucrative to pour it out so we can keep those prices high, instead of shipping it to hospitals, nursing homes, food banks, group homes, etc. I know it would only be a tax write off instead of a loss at the end of the year, but the joy it would bring to so many might, just maybe, make up for that. I am hoping that maybe we can all take a lesson from our parents and grandparents before us that our neighbors, our friends, the old man down the road, whoever, might be needy, could use, or just might want whatever we feel we have too much of. Surely it is time to stop wasting and to start sharing what we have with each other of "pouring it out".

Tre Hamiel, 5th Grader: What I like so far about online school is that I can ask my two teachers (Mrs. Koester and Mrs. McFadden) questions about my homework every day. It's great that I get to see all of my friends, every day, and we can create our own meeting place to help each other and talk. We have fun.
What I don't like about online school so far is that some people don't turn their microphone off when we are trying to listen to the teacher, and we can hear all of their background noises. Also the camera on my chromebook lags so much you can't hear what the other person is saying.
I'm glad online school is going to help us through the school year; but I will be happy to be back in the classroom, with my friends, in the fall. I hope everyone stays safe and has a good summer.

Arlene Clayton: What would world leaders such as Jesus, Mohandas Gandhi, Sister Theresa, the many, many unsung heroes of our daily living do to cope with today's world? Jesus went to the wilderness for 40 days; Gandhi freed his country, Sister Theresa worked and treated India's poor pandemics without the help of the CDC bulletins. These world leaders gave their all to the world health and world freedom of poverty.
With all the medical technology of today why did the present virology related pandemic occur? The CDC and WHO has ongoing research of pandemics and weekly bulletins from both of these research centers as to research progresses of pandemic viruses. Much research by these two health organizations focuses on false reports and false positives of disease pandemics. The online health related bulletins from CDC are available to the public.
“There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need, but not for man's greed.” - Gandhi

Please email your thoughts to russell@nckcn.com. In the Subject Line type "Journal Entry'
Or you may write down your thoughts and mail them to:
Blade-Empire\Journal Entry
510 Washington Street
Concordia, KS 66901
Please email photographs of you, your family and friends coping with the crisis. Humor is always appreciated.  Email the photos to russell@nckcn.com