Whether it is by spending extra money in a small business or simply offering to go through a drive-thru for a truck driver, locals are stepping up to help their community.
Owen McNeill, Maysville-Mason County Industrial Development Authority director, said in a time when concerns over the spread of COVID-19 are looming in everyone’s minds, the community is pulling together and working to ensure everyone has what they need.
“Without question, everyone has stepped up,” he said. “I’m pleased with how well the people have come together. It amazes me how fast the people in Maysville-Mason County can circle the wagons when they’re needed. We have a great community.”
McNeill, Maysville Main Street Director Caroline Reece, Mason County Tourism Director Lacey Holleran and Maysville-Mason County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Vicki Steigleder recently got together to create a Making it Work in Maysville Facebook page.
The page is dedicated to providing small businesses, restaurants and other entities in Mason County a one-stop location to show the products they have available.
“As a response to mandated shutdowns and state ordinances for social distancing, we hope local restaurants and small businesses will utilize this page to promote their available deals and support local commerce in Maysville. This page is not intended for communications and/or complaints, but solely to assist local businesses with continuing commerce,” the page description said.
Crosspoint Community Church has also started an “unemployment team” to help meet the needs of those who have lost their job due to COVID-19.
“If you have been notified that you will be out of work because of COVID-19, we not only want you to know we are praying for you, but I would like to see if any of you would join me in creating an unemployment team. This team will help me figure out the best way to help as many people as possible during this time. Of course, all of you are encouraged to have free meals on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but we want to do more,” Crosspoint Community Church Pastor Chad Current posted on the church’s Facebook page Wednesday.
Another way some of the community members have come together is through providing small gestures of kindness to others.
In Lewis County, Dennis Prater was at a local restaurant/gas station when he noticed a truck driver nearby who was filling up. As the restaurant was drive-thru only, and the large tractor trailer could no go through the drive-thru, Prater offered to go through for the man.
“I know they can’t go through the drive-thrus and you can’t walk up to the windows, so I just offered to go through for him to get him some breakfast,” Prater said. “At first, he refused, but I insisted and said I wanted to do it for him. I went through and bought the breakfast and brought it over. I didn’t do it for praise or recognition — I just wanted to help someone out.”
In Bracken County, a Bracken County Support page was created in order for people in the community to find help in one centralized location.
The group, which was started by Bracken County resident Jeanna Jefferson, is dedicated to connecting volunteers with those who need assistance.
“I was seeing posts on Facebook about needing help and how others could help,” she said. “I talked to my husband and we thought it would be a good place to connect people with others, so everything was in one place and could easily be found.”
Jefferson said anyone who needs assistance or is looking to help others can be posted in the group.
“If you need help getting groceries, medicine or childcare, it can be posted there,” she said. “People are probably going to need childcare options and I’ve seen people posting on their about helping out.”
The group can be found at https://www.facebook.com/groups/152420785935090/?fref=nf.
Numerous meal options for children have also popped up around the local area. School districts are providing meals at central locations and some are even delivering to homes. The Tom Browning Boys and Girls Club in Maysville is providing meals and restaurants such as Syleetos, Fazoli’s and others are offering free kids meals.
