I took this picture in my hometown when I was there for my Mom’s birthday Normally on Sundays I will give you tips on how to save money on your next Walt Disney World vacation, or tell you about a contest. Today, though, I’d like to talk about a different type of saving. Right now, with the country and the world in crisis, I am happy to say that I have seen many different examples of why we, the human race, are worth saving.
I’ll start with something that Walt Disney World and Disneyland are doing during the closures. With the parks on both coasts guest-less, there is a lot of extra food that could go to waste. Disney is donating excess food to their local Second Harvest Food Banks on each coast. One thing that you won’t see in the travel brochures is that Orlando has a real homeless problem. My daughter has volunteered in local homeless ministries, and these are good people who have fallen on bad times. Orlando also has many people who live in cheap hotels, with most of their paychecks going to rent. Second Harvest Food Bank is a great organization, and this food is going to help a lot of people.
That isn’t the only way I’ve seen people proving that we’re a race worth saving. With the current session of the Disney College Program canceled, many students have been trying to figure out what to do. I’ve seen people offer to open their homes to students who can’t get to their own homes right away. Others have volunteered rides to the airport. People want to make sure that these students are taken care of.
I’ve also seen other things that have impressed me over the past few days. People are cooking meals, going shopping, or doing yardwork for those who can’t do it themselves. Crisis can bring out the worst in some people, but it brings out the best in most. I have seen a lot more of the best than the worst over the past few days.
I also need to give a special shout out to my hometown in Massachusetts. I grew up in an area that at one time had been affluent, and many people there are still well off. That said, there are also those who live paycheck to paycheck. The town has set up a service so that anyone who needs it can get a free meal each day; no questions asked. I know that other towns have made similar offers. It’s a small gesture, and a huge one at the same time.
Trying to stop the spread of coronavirus is bigger than closing the Disney Parks or shutting down cruise ships. It is a way that we can save each other. I’ve said it before, and I’m sure that I will say it again. We will get through this. Hopefully, we’ll get through it stronger than ever.