I hope everyone is staying home and staying safe. I have been back and forth between my home in Bartlesville and my mom’s home in Stroud but not venturing out much further than those two places. I did tell Larry that we would have some more “urban” dictionary entries after this pandemic. Those questions come up in Jeopardy quite often when we adopt new words that become commonplace such as “social distancing” and “sheltering in place.” Larry might throw some of those at us when we get to go back to our Jeopardy nights.
Town Talk has exciting news. The digital sign has been ordered for Main Street. We hope it’s just another way to keep citizens informed about what’s happening in our community. David Evans is an active member of Town Talk and he is the one who suggested the sign and we all jumped on board. I spoke to Jon Lowry who oversees community relations for Stroud Regional Medical Center and asked if First Physicians Capital Group would make a donation to this project and they agreed. City Manager Bob Pearman was in favor of the project and was able to add some of our tourism funds, along with a donation or two, to help make the sign a reality. Another great community improvement project is about to begin. This is what happens when we all work together.
Our next project will be to replace the bases under our Main Street streetlamps. If you look at them, they are all in disrepair and need some attention. As I always say, our Main Street is sometimes the only thing visitors see of our town and we need to make a good first impression. I spoke to Alex at Street Lamps of America and they do not sell bases, only the lamp/base set. After I sent him pictures, he did speak with his design department and got back with me on their suggestions, so I think we know how to proceed from here. Watch for those improvements as soon as things get back to “normal.”
I was saddened to hear of the deaths of Erwin and Jan Christensen. I grew up with Erwin and his twin brother Earnest and their sister Clarissa. They were all a few years younger, but we attended First Baptist Church together. I became friends with Jan as an adult and really liked her. Life is so uncertain, and it is another sad reminder that things can change in the blink of an eye. Sending condolences to all their family members.
These are tough times for all of us but it’s a great time to rally around and support our local businesses and help them survive this rough patch. Now, more than ever, it’s important to remember to shop and dine local first. Have a great week and stay healthy!