As I write this from my home in mid-April, it is clear that the world as we knew it has changed. ASA staff members are also working from home, finding new ways to connect with community members, local farmers and landowners using remote technology so that we can slow the spread of COVID-19.
While it is an uncertain and anxious time for us all, I am seeing something that makes me hopeful. And that is this: despite the necessary distance between us, we are coming together as a community.
Acts of kindness are all around us. People are self-organizing to help those in need. Some are picking up medications for others, some are dropping off groceries and others are fostering pets. Stores are designating hours for at-risk shoppers to ensure everyone has the safest access possible to what they need. We are coming together to care for each other and it gives me hope.
I’m also inspired by families who are safely venturing through fields, on trails, into the woods, and simply slowing down to appreciate each other and the amazingly beautiful place we call home.
I’m excited that when the Cambridge Community Forest is completed and ready for families (fingers crossed for this fall, funding permitting), it too will serve as a peaceful place to connect with the land and those around us. Thank you for your help in making that happen.
Another positive outcome of this unprecedented moment in our collective history is the new appreciation for the value of local food.
Empty store shelves are a vivid reminder that locally sourced food was never just about health. It’s about creating a more resilient community. In many ways, this crisis dramatically underscores why our efforts to conserve local farmland and forest are so important.
From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for all you have done, and continue to do, to support ASA as well as farmers and community organizations. Together, we have the ability to ensure the strength and beauty of our region no matter what challenge befalls us.
Sending my best,
Teri
