For safety, visitors should just stay home

To the editor:

“Sorry folks, not this year.”

That’s the story of the Big Time Monster Truck and Tractor Pull at Fort Recovery, the Fourth of July Celebration, the Vintage Motor Bike Club annual meet and Jay County Historical Society’s annual Heritage Festival in Portland, Swiss Days in Berne, the Indiana State Fair and now the Johnny Appleseed Festival in Fort Wayne.

All of these events draw big crowds. That’s the problem for those in charge.

Because of COVID-19 they feel overwhelmed with the challenge to keep all those visitors safe. So, they called them off for this year.

Not so for the Antique Engine and Tractor Show. By a vote of two directors, they must have said, “Let’s do it.”

“We’ll have as many social distancing suggestions as we can implement.” But if you don’t feel safe, just stay home.

Well, many of us in the 6,200 or so who in Portland wish the 70,000 or so people who will be coming here from everywhere in the world would just stay home, so we could all feel safe.  

Rogers Durham

Portland