A VIRUS JOURNAL April 3
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.
ON APRIL 1, 2020, CLOUD COUNTY REGISTERED ITS FIRST POSITIVE COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS CASE.
CORONAVIRUS TOLL
Worldwide: Infected-1,054,432 Deaths-55,720
Kansas: Infected-552 Deaths-13
Cloud County: Infected-1
Anonymous: You knew it was probably coming, but deep down I always hoped it might skip us. Here we go....
Anonymous: The way some people are behaving during the crisis just proves that you can't fix stupid.
Gary A Bottarini: I'm a retired Chef. Helped to open Marla's joy. Then Taco Grande. Then asked to be the head Cook at our seniors center. I retired last November. My wife in February said I need to find something to do. The beginning of March I started to work in the deli at Rods. I say this because many know me and because my stepdaughter was to walk with honors as a senior at our towns high School. She was in tears when she found out because of the current coronavirus her school was closed for the year and not knowing what if anything will happen. She understands but it still hurts. Graduation is a once in a lifetime experience but no pictures or celebrating. Hopefully there will be a good ending for all the seniors.
Toby Nosker: I've been concerned about what short and long-term impacts our participation in social distancing -- deliberately increasing the physical space between us and others to avoid spreading illness -- might have on us as individuals, including: Will the accelerated push to use digital platforms and join online communities result in citizens becoming even less involved and engaged in the actual places they live?
Thankfully, some of that worry subsided this weekend when I witnessed residents of Concordia get creative with the technology at hand and find a fun way to reconnect with their town while still being mindful of social distancing etiquette.
The rising COVID-19 pandemic in our country has led us all to live isolated lives with only minimal contact with the outside world. Our usual social gathering hubs, like our schools and churches and restaurants and gyms and libraries and movie theaters, are all closed to indoor activities as a precautionary measure to reduce the risk of exposure. Essential businesses such as our grocery stores remain open and they've been overrun with customers who likely view them as one of the last accessible pieces that make up the social fabric of our community. Trips to a physical store provide us an escape and a brief reminder of our "old normal" at a time when we feel like we are being permanently shackled by our modern life struggles.
But in the morning hours on March 28th, a Facebook event was posted and shared, called "Concordia Cruz Main." The idea was to simply recreate the cruising scene of our youth, an innocent social and recreational activity where you jump into your car and head downtown, driving slowly and waving and honking at your friends as they pass you by headed in the opposite direction. You enjoy a series of short moments of hurrying speed between stoplights, followed by braking for stoplights, waiting on the light to change, and then another round of increasing speed. A few blocks up the road, you turn around and head the opposite way, creating a circular drag route to cruise. It's a chance to show off your ride, relax to some music, and maybe even park and grab a bite to eat, all while connecting with the carloads of others partaking in the same evening activity as you.
At 8 pm that night, only a few short hours after the spontaneous event was announced, hundreds of cars in Concordia showed up to take part in this great American pastime. Lined up bumper-to-bumper for several blocks, members of the community cruised 6th Street, a road they've all driven on countless times before. Only this time they were doing it for pleasure.
No one was in a mad dash to get somewhere. Honestly, they didn't have anywhere to go. Instead, people exercised patience behind the wheel. And they were laughing, genuinely. Families were generating real eruptions of joy that could be heard from one vehicle to the next. Linked together through this event, people fully embraced the opportunity to slow down and enjoy the journey.
In that moment, they forgot all about the burdens they face from the mounting shutdowns and closures. Rather, they took advantage of the time they had available to once again experience happiness together as a community.
Senior Citizen: Everyday I read in the paper about another church group or church closing. This is when I believe we need our churches, church families and such the most.
I believe in a time of crisis like this, we need friends, family, & above all god the most. There are so many people out there that don't even know god, but so many that do, god's house I believe should never be closed, especially in a time of crisis like this.
I pray every night for the people, and the day I will be able to hug and kiss my grandkids again, and go visit my family and friends, and be able to worship god in his house.
Chloe Beims, CHS student: The world is on edge as this thing we can’t see takes over our lives. It has separated us from our family, our friends, our work. You turn on the TV and see the death toll rising. The media is a circus, and fear is the dominating emotion in most American’s hearts. These things are hard to cope with. We are mourning our former lives and the sense of safety we had before a virus took over. It’s okay to mourn. We have lost so much already; it’s important to acknowledge what we’ve lost. Grieving is an important and healthy coping mechanism. Coming from a personal point of view, as a senior in high school I am grieving the loss of seeing my senior class in the hallway, getting to spend the remainder of the year within the confines of my high school, and the certainty that the foreseeable future held. I am now without all of that. It’s hard to cope. I am letting myself feel the grief. I am also making sure that, even through the pain that this virus has caused, I am staying positive. There are things that we can control and things we cannot. Life seems so out of control. You have no control over the economy, the rations of toilet paper, or how others react. You do, however, have control over how you respond to this situation, whether you choose to follow CDC recommendations and social distance, and what you choose to look at on social media. If you’re anything like me then the news is a one-stop shop for all of your worries. That’s why it’s important to limit your media and social media intake. Find a reliable news source so you can keep updated on the current situation, but do not focus on it. If the worried Facebook posts from your family and friends stress you out then take a break from social media. It’s important we care for our mental health now more than ever. At the beginning of this pandemic I was utterly terrified and depressed. I lost my job for the time being, I lost my sense of normality with public schools being closed, and I lost my sense of safety. It was tough not only on me but on my entire community. I realized I had to shift my thinking. Instead of being terrified and sad over the closing of schools I focused on the positives. My senior class is now closer than we have ever been. We have been able to put aside the trivial differences that once kept us apart and we grew close. This pandemic might have taken a lot from the world but it’s important we keep our thoughts positive. Next time you leave the house, take an extra minute to enjoy the sunshine. Take a break and see the world around you. This pandemic has taken from us, but it has also given us the opportunity to start over.
Harleigh Smith, a junior at CHS: When the Coronavirus started out I never imagined it would affect me or my town. I was so ignorant. “It will never reach Concordia.” “I’ll never get the Coronavirus.” I was so wrong.
The day before Spring Break I was so excited. I left the school that day without even knowing it was my last day of junior year. I didn’t know I wouldn’t ever get to see my favorite teacher again. I didn’t know that I wasn’t going to see all my friends at school again. I didn’t know that this was it for the seniors. I didn’t know that I wouldn’t be going to prom this year. I planned on going to three proms. I had already paid for all my beautiful dresses. Little did I know I wasn't going to get to wear any of them.
The Coronavirus has changed everything, and it has almost reached us. I go into a store and I see that all the toilet paper is gone and I wonder why. I leave that store and I go into another and I see two people fighting over hand sanitizer. Why? Where has everyone’s sense gone? Everyone has changed. Everyone is panicking.
I recently got my driver’s license, and all I want to do is go out and drive. My mom doesn’t want me to. I don’t understand why. I just want to hang out with my friends. She doesn’t want me to. Why? It's not like they have the virus.
It’s a normal day and I’m going to work. When I get there my boss has a talk with the whole crew about how things are changing. Our lobby was the first change. Our lobby is no longer open to the public. The second change was our hours. We are now only open from 11:00 am to 8:30 pm. That is a big change from our normal 8:00 am to 11:00 pm. Every crew member's hours have been cut drastically. Why is everything changing so much?
I have so many questions. Like what happens if I get the virus? Will it kill me? Will I survive? What happens when the virus does reach Concordia? What happens if work closes? What will the Coronavirus take from me next? Will they find a cure? Will it mutate? When will it be over?
I have found a way to get away from all this stress. Lately, I have been going out to the U.P. Bridge and just sitting. Watching and listening. Yesterday I sat and watched two geese hunt for food in the water. Today I went out there and I worked on my math homework. I sat out there for hours. I just find it so peaceful and calming.
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