McMILLAN: Want to make an impact? Support local businesses during coronavirus outbreak

Good news is happening in Flagler County and Palm Coast despite — or sometimes because of — the extraordinary times.


Stock photo by Porapak Apichodilok on pexels.com.
Stock photo by Porapak Apichodilok on pexels.com.
  • Palm Coast Observer
  • Opinion
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The coronavirus has already impacted every community in our nation. But not every community will react in the same way. Is there anything we can do to help ours bounce back more quickly?

Yes. Let me propose two ways we can take action.

First, we can help our partners prosper. This is a phrase that is ingrained into every Palm Coast Observer employee; it’s part of our company’s mission statement. The Observer supports the interests of businesses in our community because that is the most direct way to promote the community’s wellbeing. As businesses thrive, breadwinners take home paychecks and can provide for their families.

Therefore, the more we can buy our groceries and other products and services from local companies, the more we will be helping our own neighbors. Consider finding ways to patronize local companies rather than turning to online orders from farflung corporations. If you’re not comfortable going to a store, call them and ask how you can work things out. That’s the beauty of a local company: Many owners are accessible by phone. Many places, including restaurants, are delivering. Others will explain to you how they are keeping their equipment and their hands clean. They want to earn your trust.

I believe our local business owners will surprise us with their goodwill and their creativity. Reward them, give them a chance, be patient. Their recovery — and our local economy — depend on it.

The second thing we can do is to inspire each other and be positive. That is our commitment at the Observer, and again, it’s something that comes naturally because it’s part of our mission statement: to inspire our community with extraordinary local content. We don't need to spread fear.

We will be a watchdog for our local governments’ responses to the outbreak, and we will transmit their messages to our readers as expeditiously as possible. If you are on palmcoastobserver.com daily, you are up to date.

If you are reading something on social media, and you’re wondering whether it’s true, you can email me at [email protected], and I or one of our award-winning Observer reporters will do our best to find out the facts for you.

In the upcoming weeks, we will also seek out the inspiring stories of businesses, organizations and your neighbors so that we can see the good in our community. Because even at a time like this — especially in a time like this — good news is happening all around us.

You and your neighbors are rising to the occasion. We will do the same.

 

author

Brian McMillan

Brian McMillan and his wife, Hailey, bought the Observer in 2023. Before taking on his role as publisher, Brian was the editor from 2010 to 2022, winning numerous awards for his column writing, photography and journalism, from the Florida Press Association.

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