03/26/2020
I’ll never forget Saturday, February 29th, a leap day. And the day the first person in the US died from Covid-19 - less than two miles from our office. It shook our belief that disasters always happen “someplace else”. Overnight Kirkland became the epicenter for the outbreak in North America. That was less than a month ago.
For most of the country, Kirkland has faded from the front page as the virus spreads to larger centers. But for those of us who live here, the impact is still very real, and I doubt will ever fully go away. And that’s a good thing. The loss, uncertainty, and at times, waves of paralyzing anxiety have hammered our office and community into something different, something better. Simply put, people matter more. Relationships matter more. And though is seems cliché, we are stronger together.
This photo sums up the mood in Kirkland. This statue sits at the corner of downtown, and is frequently decorated for occasions. A group has also tied blue ribbons to the trees lining the streets in support of the Kirkland Life Care Center.
-Craig, CEO