Staying Connected During a Time of Separation By Kristina Abbey
P
eg donned a mask and hopped into her car, heading over to a friend’s home. When she arrived she pulled up behind the house near the garage and gave the car horn a quick honk. With the noise, the garage door opened and Fran, lawn chair in tow, walked toward the end of the garage. As Fran settled into the lawn chair, Peg opened the car door and swung her legs out, but didn’t get out of the car. The two chatted amiably about their families and lives as two friends would. Normally Fran would have welcomed Peg into her home offering a cold drink and a comfy seat on the sofa but this visit was different. The two spent time connecting like always, but this time, they maintained a safe distance apart during a time of COVID-19. Alterations, like this meetup between friends, quickly became the norm this spring and summer during Arizona’s Stay-at-Home Order due to Coronavirus. It wasn’t just meetups between friends that changed either. While working
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TG MAGAZINE
SUMMER 2020
hard to maintain social distancing, following the CDC guidelines, and keeping the desire to stay safe and stay healthy, residents saw an increase in alterations to how individuals, organizations, and businesses operated in day-to-day life. Though it was different and at times difficult, the community worked hard and persevered to pull together finding new ways to stay connected. Cities found ways to serve the community and businesses altered their services. Like Fran and Peg in their unusual methods to spend time chatting, other individuals found ways to connect. A group called Prescott Writing Adventures continued their twice a week meetings where they would connect for a few hours and each individual would work on their writing projects. Only now, instead of hitting a local coffee shop, the group logged into Zoom and would connect, write, and discuss their stories during the sessions. Events turned virtual, in Phoenix, an event called Bao Festival turned virtual and attendees were
