The COVID pandemic strained communities around the globe, and Concord was no exception. We watched as friends and neighbors struggled with loss, illness, and financial crisis. We lost friends and loved ones of our own. And in our beautiful town, we saw shops and restaurants that had been a part of the town’s fabric for decades shutter their doors forever. The call for help was loud and clear.
There’s no stopping love. World-wide pandemic or not, we are living love with our family, friends, and community. We are taking care of ourselves and helping others in whatever ways that we can. We might be staying local and keeping six feet apart, but we’re grabbing those lemons, making lemonade, and embracing the surprising sweetnesses of this time.
So much is different about the holidays this year. With dear friends and family far away, gift giving takes on a whole new meaning. Channeling that effort locally is a great way to also support the friends and neighbors who run our local shops and restaurants. That support means so much to them – and they are showing the love right back, by working hard to make shopping local both safe and fun this holiday season.
The winter months can be confining in New England – short days and longer periods of darkness set in from October through January. We tend to hunker down in our homes and spend more time inside, seeking warmth and safety. Festivities and gatherings around town have promised to give us a chance to connect and check-in, to be a part of a community. Over the years, Concord has dependably been a safe and vibrant place to spend the holidays.
On March 30th, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and inspired by similar programs in other cities, Concord citizens Rob Costello, Hilary Steinert, Susie Winstanley, Pamela Loos Gildehaus, Karen Croff Bates, Anne Elton, and Virginia Shannon launched Fuel the Fight (FTF-Concord). This community-based effort had one goal: to raise money to provide meals for Emerson Hospital staff while supporting local restaurants in the process. FTF-Concord worked directly with the administrative team at Emerson Hospital to feed medical staff working on the frontlines, and to streamline the many food donations they were receiving.
Concord has always been a very special place. The people who call this town home have never shied away from a challenge, nor have they hesitated to do the right thing in trying times. From mustering the courage to fire the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” to creating a space which fostered a generation of literary legends, to standing up to fight for the abolition of slavery, Concordians are steadfast in the face of adversity.
