Local youth show their thanks with their signs during the EMS parade. From left to right - Raylee Fagerhaug, Nathan Gaikowski, Carter Gaikowski, Rylan Fagerhaug, and Madilyn Gaikowski
by Loree Gaikowski, WS Area Chamber & Development Director
The hills of Wessington Springs will soon have yet another story to tell. A story of community, creativity, family, and even opportunity.
In a matter of days our world as we knew it was completely turned upside down. A world we only knew on the news suddenly appeared in our home state of South Dakota. Our neighbors in Beadle county were some of the first to see it. With its arrival, our children were sent home from school, activities and gatherings cancelled, small businesses closed their doors to in-house shoppers and diners, no handshakes, no hugs, and for heaven’s sake stay six feet away.
We found ourselves feeling overwhelmed, numb, scared and completely speechless. As we began to adjust, we found ourselves enjoying the simple things in life; family meals at the table, family walks, playing backyard ball - enjoying the simple presence of one another and beginning to find value in our “new normal”. We have witnessed a community rising to order take-out meals from local restaurants; businesses taking the leap to create a presence online to reach customers and offering curbside pickups. A beautiful sight in a now empty town, families taking to the streets on Saturday nights to remind friends and neighbors they are not alone; a calling to the entire community we are facing this together and we will get through it together.
We are writing the pages of our own stories. The pages that will say what we made of this time in history. Stories that will remind us and generations after that amid all this chaos, we found opportunity to become better humans, better parents, better neighbors, and friends. The future feels uncertain, but with our unwavering faith it is certain we will get through this together.
We are thankful for our healthcare workers who find themselves on the front lines, our teachers who are teaching from a distance, EMS, fire department, law enforcement, city workers, the linemen keeping the lights on, clergy working to keep God in our hearts and homes, and most of all small business owners who fight to get up and smile every day because suddenly every day they go to work has become precious. To all of you - thank you. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. In our stories we tell and the stories our children will tell... YOU will be the heroes.
