Does every day still feel like Saturday? Do you need a haircut? Have you read every book in the house, watched every rerun on TV, completed all those long put off chores, learned how to communicate with family and friends by ZOOM? Now that was an unexpected challenge as part of ‘sheltering in place.’ Whatever we all have been doing these past two months to stay healthy, maintain, stay in touch and get through this new normal, it is working. It hasn’t all been easy and all the difficult days may not be over yet, but we are getting there together even if it’s by ZOOM, Facebook, text, email, Instagram, cell phone, over the back fence or some other form of new-fangled technology.
There has always been a community spirit in Tualatin of yes we can… yes we can lend a helping hand, yes we can support each other, yes we can step up and make a difference. Because of that spirit, there are lots of thank you to be said. I’ll do my best to include everyone and my apologies if I miss someone or something.
First of all, to the City of Tualatin, from our Mayor to our Councilors to our City staff, thank you for making the hard decisions that have kept us safe and healthy. Thank you for the important information posted on the city website and all the additional resources and programming offered online as we are sheltered in our homes. Go to the city’s web site, www.tualatinoregon.gov, for more information.
Secondly, the Tualatin Chamber of Commerce has diligently supported all the businesses in Tualatin – businesses, who are our new champions, that can and do stay open in some form to meet our needs. Check out the Chamber web site, www.tualatinchamber.com, for more information on the business recovery programs available and how our businesses are doing.
Third, the programs still open and in place and the new ones created because of this pandemic:
School House Pantry, Borland Free Clinic, Tigard-Tualatin School District Packed with Pride, Ride Connection, City/Chamber Gift Cards for Good, Meals on Wheels People home meal delivery and the Juanita Pohl Center virtual classes, Tualatin Library, our many churches offering a helping hand, all the volunteers who have stepped up to support these programs and all the neighbors on Next Door and throughout the community who offer help, support, stay at home hints and outreach to other neighbors in need.
For more information on Washington County services and resources, go to www.co.washington.or.us/DAVS (Disability, Aging and Veteran Services). For up to date information on the coronavirus and Phases I, II and III, go to www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus or www.oregon.gov/dhs.
Ending on a light-hearted note: this is a very special Happy Birthday year that can only happen once every 1,000 years: take your age on this year’s birthday plus your year of birth and your total will be 2020. (Example: I will be 75 this year, my birth date is 1945 which equals 2020.) Every person in the world who does this will get the same answer. Check yours out because otherwise, it is another 1,000-year wait!
Continue to be safe and well, wash your hands, wear your mask and hopefully soon we will all be able to greet each other in person.
