ThankYouToLocalWorkers

SUNDAY, MAY 10, 2020 | Thank You to Local Workers Advertising Section G8 doing extraordinary things. The long days they work are longer now. The demands on them are greater, as they worry about adequate work- force protections and fear bringing the virus home to their families. Many front-line medical workers have moved out of their own homes just to keep their families safe and still be available to provide care for patients. And they are wearier than ever before. That’s why the WSMA wants to honor and say “thank you” to all our members. You are on the front lines of care in our communities. If it feels thankless sometimes, remem- ber that we are all grateful for your healing hands, your caring hearts and your unwavering dedication. We’re in this together. Take heart and take good care. Lynden Transport, Inc. thanks: Ron Professional driver for Lynden Transport since 1985 How we’re operating: Trucking is an essential industry and work- ers are operating under safe social distancing guidelines. How our work has changed during the pandemic: The industry has implemented safe, healthy prac- tices and protections, such as gloves and masks, for drivers who have been continuously operating during this crisis, in addition to educating drivers on the safest practices for interacting with others throughout the supply chain. How Ron’s work is having an impact: Ron is an integral part of the Lynden team. Since the beginning of the pandemic crisis, Ron has been tirelessly working on a daily basis. Ron’s happy and positive attitude has helped immensely as we process the daily stories we hear on the news about family loss or sickness from this pandemic. With Ron’s help, Lynden Transport, like many other essential businesses, has increased the cleaning and disinfecting of our offices, bathrooms and equipment. Everyone’s temperature is checked on a daily basis while we practice social distancing throughout the day. Hand sanitizer, cleaning wipes, gloves and masks are provided to Ron and our great team of drivers so that while they are on the road, away from the service center making pickups and deliveries, they are able to keep their equipment clean and stay healthy while delivering essen- tial goods and services. Swedish Medical Center thanks: Health care workers To our health care workers: Every day, you go to work on the front lines — doing your absolute best to heal, keep people safe and, above all else, care for our community. You put fear aside and selflessly care for our patients’ physical, mental and emotional well-being, and wholeheartedly embrace the role of lifeline to their loved ones who can’t be at their side. You work hard to stay positive for the patients, the families and your fellow caregivers. You are surprised — overwhelmed even — at the outpouring of support by the community. And you are touched and humbled by the deep appreciation shown for what you believe to be, simply, who you are and what you do. You are there in the darkest of times and find ways to comfort. You are extraordinary; in these unsettling times, you share your talents and go above and beyond to keep us all safe. You are our community’s greatest asset. You are everyday heroes. Builders’ Hardware & Supply thanks: Our essential staff How has the pandemic affected the business? We are open, with reduced staff and contact. Builders’ Hardware continues to serve our community by offering hardware and services to the essential construction market. We sell doors and finish hardware to hospitals, schools and institutions as well as other commercial construction. Additionally, we distribute residential hardware throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Since the stay-at-home order, our showroom is operating with limited hours and service, and the majority of our staff is working remotely. The key exception is our installation team, shipping and receiving teams, and key office staff, who remain working on-site. We thank them for all that they are doing. How is our staff responding? We’ve witnessed our essential staff’s overall selflessness and their eager- to-please attitude shine brightly during this difficult situation. We are very proud of our team, many of whom have been on-site in our facilities every day as their critical roles are not able to be done re- motely. We lift our virtual hands up and want so badly to high-five you! Thank you! Hopelink thanks: The Food Assistance Team How Hopelink is helping the community: Practically everything changed overnight. One day Hopelink’s food assistance team was doing its normal work. In 2019 Hopelink provided 2.3 million meals to people experiencing poverty and those who live paycheck to paycheck, unable to make ends meet. Members of the community donated 80% of the food distributed, team members and volunteers collected food donated by partner grocery stores, local farmers donated fresh produce and Hopelink staff purchased food to fi ll the gaps. Clients grabbed a cart and walked down aisles selecting food from shelves in one of Hopelink’s fi ve food pantries. Then came the coronavirus. Suddenly, people had to distance themselves, wear masks, wash their hands constantly and disinfect everything. Suddenly hundreds of thousands of people had no jobs to go to. Suddenly all those people living paycheck to paycheck … had no paycheck. The members of the Hopelink food assistance team got together to plan how to respond. They needed to get food to people, maybe more than ever, in ways that limit the spread of a life-threatening virus. The pantries closed and teams started packing boxes — pallets and pallets of them— of shelf-stable foods, dairy and fresh produce. They met people at the door of the pantry, asked clients to stand 6 feet apart while waiting and handed out box after box after box to people so they, some of whom had never needed help before, could feed their families. Members of the food teams stood, masked and gloved, the width of a table across from hundreds of Continued from G6 Continued on G10 Builders’ Hardware & Supply staff is supplying hardware and services to the constuction industry. Hopelink has shifted its operations to provide food in a safe way — often to people new to its services. Thank You A heartfelt to all of Washington’s health care workers, who are sacrificing so much to care for the people of our state during this time of crisis. We are grateful for your dedication.