The love of our community will be needed by local businesses soon
I miss you. I miss bumping into you in the store. I miss catching up in the “nuts and bolts” aisle and hearing how your kids are doing. I miss holding the door for you because your hands are full or just because it’s the right thing to do.
I miss shaking your hand after a long absence, or the deal is done or even after we settled an argument. I miss giving your kids a high five, a low five or even knuckles. I miss seeing your smile as we pass by each other and we have never even met. I miss seeing you turn red as you hear the punchline to an embarrassing joke.
I miss watching you wave your hands and pound the desk as you passionately make your point to the board. I miss sitting with you at the ballgame as we talk family, futures and fun and never actually see the game. I miss you.
We certainly do miss our normal, everyday lives, but please don’t forget about those who serve the most vulnerable in our community. I reached out to our nonprofit partners in the community to see how they were dealing with the COVID-19 crisis.
Here are some of the responses that I received:
“As a leader, I also feel the weight of taking care of our volunteers and employees and making sure that everyone goes home with a paycheck as well as every horse is fed.”
“I am more concerned about our youth now than ever. Each continues to face hardships, such as poverty and abuse. During these stressful times, it’s common for them to revert to old habits that are self-destructive and dangerous. And, devastatingly, many of them don’t have a safe and supportive home that can serve as a sanctuary for them.”
“We are still working to provide Arizona’s students with the critical financial literacy, workforce readiness, and entrepreneurship education that they need and are doing so through digital learning.”
“Our kids and families are struggling and we want to be there for them and get them the services they need. I worry about our kids falling behind in school as well.”
“We are hand washing, mask wearing, temperature taking, and disinfecting everything!”
“Ultimately our goal is the same, to use our actors to help children be children despite their challenging health concerns, to fight isolation and to lift their spirits.”
I know that we are no longer taking many things for granted. We hope for a dinner out with a loved one, a trip to the arena to watch a game, to see a school play and to converse with co-workers.
Please do not forget our most vulnerable and the many amazing individuals and organizations that care for them. Not only will our business community need our patronage to regain what has been lost, but our nonprofit community will need your attention as well.
Thank you very much for being a kind and caring community. Your love will be needed again very soon!
–By Scottsdale Charros Executive Director Dennis Robbins