Since the middle of March, the novel coronavirus pandemic has upended society in the United States as social distancing and stay at home orders to prevent community spread of the virus alter the daily lives of many citizens. Kentuckians all over the state are working from home while the future remains uncertain. But even in the darkest of times, Western Kentucky stands as a blinding light.
Even during a global pandemic, the small region of Western Kentucky shows immense strength and resilience. In its local communities, countless individuals and organizations are delivering aid and appreciation to all of those affected by the virus. Through their courageous endeavors, the VUE strives to recognize these community members as hometown heroes.
Hometown heroes are those throughout the Western Kentucky area that are dedicating their time to serving the community in unique ways under the circumstances of the coronavirus. In an effort to honor and appreciate all that these hometown heroes are doing for people across the region, the VUE is sharing the stories of several individuals and businesses who have made tremendous strides in their attempts to help others during the pandemic. Within the following stories, the VUE offers a firsthand look at the journey of hometown heroes during the fight against the virus.
As the coronavirus attacks industries as well as human life, the first two stories explore how local businesses in Western Kentucky are aiding the community through both the foodservice market and the production of hand sanitizer.
In the first story, read about how Paducah’s Andy Carloss of Midtown Market and Andy Hughes of Hughes Market have implemented new procedures and ways to aid customers in accordance with social distancing while Marilyn Cole of Symsonia’s MLC restaurant shares how she and her employees have provided meals for a certain group of people in need because the virus has made it difficult for some people to obtain food. Following suit, the second story details the production of hand sanitizer as both Paducah’s Silent Brigade Distillery and Calvert City’s Ashland Chemical explain how they’ve been able to produce and donate many gallons of hand sanitizer each day to community members in need.
While local businesses are making amazing efforts to continue serving their customers during this pandemic, individuals are also innovating many ways to lend a helping hand to their community. The third and fourth stories introduce those that are behind the scenes making face masks for protection against the virus and delivering meals to students in need for the local school systems. These two stories showcase personal accounts of how the helpful hands of those in Western Kentucky are making a huge difference in the lives of many people.
The last story in this hometown heroes series focuses on an individual by the name of Whitney Spink. Read about how this ICU nurse cared for a patient with the coronavirus as she lived out her last days. What this hometown hero gave to this patient in her final moments was a feeling of comfort and the connection she was able to help keep so the patient could stay in contact with her family and arrange for her to receive her last rites from a priest.
Although it’s a difficult time for everyone, Western Kentucky has shown that even the smallest of communities can triumph over anything through love and support. While these are just a few of the many hometown heroes in the community, these stories offer a sense of appreciation towards all of the individuals helping those in need during the coronavirus.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”18529,18530,18528″ img_size=”300×300″ onclick=”custom_link” custom_links_target=”_blank” title=”1. Midtown Market, Hughes Market & MLC Family Restaurant Changing Daily Operations to Feed the Community” custom_links=”#E-8_aHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZsc2MtcGFnZXByby5teWRpZ2l0YWxwdWJsaWNhdGlvbi5jb20lMkZwdWJsaWNhdGlvbiUyRiUzRm0lM0Q1ODIwNSUyNmklM0Q2NTk1NTMlMjZwJTNEMjQlMkNodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRmxzYy1wYWdlcHJvLm15ZGlnaXRhbHB1YmxpY2F0aW9uLmNvbSUyRnB1YmxpY2F0aW9uJTJGJTNGbSUzRDU4MjA1JTI2aSUzRDY1OTU1MyUyNnAlM0QyNCUyQ2h0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGbHNjLXBhZ2Vwcm8ubXlkaWdpdGFscHVibGljYXRpb24uY29tJTJGcHVibGljYXRpb24lMkYlM0ZtJTNENTgyMDUlMjZpJTNENjU5NTUzJTI2cCUzRDI0″][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”18536,18537,18538,18539,18540″ img_size=”300×300″ onclick=”custom_link” custom_links_target=”_blank” title=”2. Mask Makers: Frank Bennett, Kerri Bagwell, Nicole Cressler, Scottye Williams, Lloyd Kelsey & Theresa Thurston” custom_links=”#E-8_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”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”18545,18546,18547,18548″ img_size=”300×300″ onclick=”custom_link” custom_links_target=”_blank” title=”3. Silent Brigade & Ashland Chemical Changing Daily Operation to Make Hand Sanitizer” custom_links=”#E-8_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”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”18552,18553,18554,18555,18556,18557,18558″ img_size=”300×300″ onclick=”custom_link” custom_links_target=”_blank” title=”4. Local Schools’ Food Service” custom_links=”#E-8_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”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”18560″ img_size=”200×300″ onclick=”custom_link” title=”5. Whitney Spink, ICU Nurse Displays Heroism on the Front Lines of the Pandemic” custom_links=”#E-8_aHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZsc2MtcGFnZXByby5teWRpZ2l0YWxwdWJsaWNhdGlvbi5jb20lMkZwdWJsaWNhdGlvbiUyRiUzRm0lM0Q1ODIwNSUyNmklM0Q2NTk1NTMlMjZwJTNEMjI=”]
