Warroad Come Together- Apart but still strong

Spring has sprung, and this year it came on March 19, the earliest in over a century! In fact, there are a lot of things that haven’t happened in a long time. The world has not seen a pandemic like the current one in over a century. In 1918 and 1919, millions were affected and infected by an H1N1 virus thought to be of avian origin. People had to be isolated in quarantine, wear masks, and avoid crowds. Sounds familiar, right?

Coming Together While Apart

A lot has changed in the last hundred years, but some things remain the same.  An early spring in Minnesota is no less remarkable. And, unfortunately, quarantining away from friends and loved ones is no less difficult. 

Still, there are opportunities to come together. Today we have technology that allows us to communicate at a distance, to offer support and build community, from across the country or from across town. In our little town, the Warroad Come Together page on Facebook® has offered a way of gathering the community and sharing kindness, compassion, fun, and good news during these days of apprehension and uncertainty.

Since April 10, people have been sharing, supporting, and connecting with one another through this platform. We, at Northern Toboggan Company, are proud to be part of the digital effort to support other small businesses and (in the spirit of spring) to bring new light into these rather dark days. 

As part of this initiative, NTCo crafted a dozen wooden crates for local companies to sell their bundled goods. One of our crates filled with gifts went to a lucky mother this Mother’s Day. We donated the time and materials, knowing it was for a noble cause. Businesses throughout Warroad are pulling together and supporting one another, and community members are leading the charge. We are proud to be a part of this coming together of people in our community.  

Imagine if all communities would band together to provide support and compassion to their citizens. Things could look a lot different on the other side of this pandemic. We may just be a small town in the Northwest haven of Minnesota, but change always has to start somewhere.

Supporting Community Lifelines

Small businesses in places like Warroad are lifelines for the community. They are the foundation for the economy, supporting commerce, supplying necessary goods, and local jobs. And more importantly, they offer meeting places where neighbors can share news and where friendships can be forged and cemented. We may not be able to gather together the way we used to, but that doesn't mean those relationships are going to disappear.  Just like a quality toboggan, we’ve got to stay flexible if we want to get to the bottom of this in one piece.

Spend some time on the Warroad Come Together Facebook page. Find out what is happening and how you can participate in this community activity. Maybe we must stay home a while longer in order to stay safe and healthy, but that doesn’t mean we can’t come together as a community.