COVID-19: Impact on Smaller Communities

COVID-19: Impact on Smaller Communities

LIVE ON THE MAP "IDON'T THINKANYPLACE ISIMMUNE TO THIS ORNOT IMPACTED."COVID-19 ISIMPACTING ALL OFUS "THE MONTHTHAT IT'S BEEN HASBEEN VERY TRYINGAT TIMES." KELSIEKEELING WITH THEBUTLER COUNTYCHAMBER OFCOMMERCE SAYSDAVID CITY HASN'TSLOWED DOWN ASMUCH AS PLACESLIKE OMAHA, BUTLIKE BIGGER CITIES,THERE'S CONCERNFOR SMALLBUSINESSES "THEGENERALCONSENSUS I'MHEARING FROM ALOT OF BUSINESSES,IS HOW LONG ISTHIS GOING TO LASTAND WILL BERECOVER FROMTHIS." SOME PLACESHAVE CLOSED THEIRDOORS FOR NOW,WHILE OTHERSHAVE CUT THEIRHOURS NATS BUTFOR SOME, A LARGENUMBER OF PHONECALLS AREPAINTING A VERYDIFFERENT PICTURE"WE OFFERCURBSIDE PICKUPAND THE PHONESHAVE BEEN RINGINGOFF THE HOOK."ERIN HOT-A-VEE,STORE MANAGER ATACE HARDWARE,NOW HAS SHIELDSAT THE COUNTERAND SIGNSTHROUGHOUT THESTORE REMINDINGPEOPLE OF SOCIALDISTANCING "WEDON'T HAVE A LOTOF OPTIONS SO TOME IT'S IMPORTANTTHAT WE STAYOPEN AND TRY TOPROTECT PEOPLE ASWELL AS WE CAN."ANOTHER PLACETHAT'S BEEN BUSYARE LOCALGROCERY STORES,THAT DEMAND HASCAUSED BRENDALENZ, CO-OWNEROF DALE'S FOODPRIDE TO NOT ONLYOFFER CURBSIDEPICKUP OFGROCERIES BUTALSO FREE DELIVERYFOR THEIR OLDERCUSTOMERS "IFTHEY FEEL LIKE THEYSHOULDN'T BE INTHE STORE WHERETHERE'S A CROWDWE WANT TO BEABLE TO MAKE SURETHEY HAVE WHATTHEY NEED." LIKEMANY OTHERPLACES SCHOOLSHAVE CLOSED,WHICH IS CAUSINGISSUES FOR LOCALFOOD DISTRIBUTIONORGANIZATIONSTHAT RELIED ONTHEM BEING OPEN"DIFFERENTORGANIZATIONSFROM THE SCHOOLSWOULD COLLECTFOR US AND SOTHEY WOULD BRINGUS MAYBE CANNEDGOODS ORPERSONAL HYGIENEITEMS THAT PEOPLECOULD USE SO OURSHELVES AREALMOST EMPTY ANDSO IS OUR FREEZER."A RECENTFINANCIAL GIFTWILL HELP REFILLTHOSE SHELVES, BUTCONCERN REMAINSTHE LONGER THISGOES ONBUT ALLFOUR ARE STILLOPTIMISTIC FOR THEFUTURE OF THISSMALLERCOMMUNITY "SMALLTOWNS ARE PRETTYGOOD AT LIFTINGEACH OTHER UPAND I THINK THATTHEY PROBABLYHAVE A GOODSENSE OF WHAT THENEEDS OF THECOMMUNITY ARE.""AS A NEBRASKANWE ARE RESILIENTAND WE WILL GETTHROUGH THIS ASLONG ASEVERYBODY JUSTFOLLOWS THEGUIDELINES ANDREALLY TAKES ITSERIOUSLY."IF YOU LIVE IN BUTLERCOUNTY AND ARE INNEED OF FOOD, VISITOUR WEBSITE 3 NEWSNOW DOT COM FORMORE INFORMATIONTO CONTACT THOSEWHO CAN HELP