Our community has come together

To the editor:

As I drive around deserted Portland, I reminisce on my childhood and think about how much that I have loved my community.

Seeing how much our community is coming together while we are apart just warms my heart. This is something that many of us have never experienced before in our lives.

I want to thank the people that are doing great things in our community right now, especially as we are starting to reopen.

•The first responders and staff at the IU Health Jay hospital. Thank you for keeping us all safe and healthy — we love you.

•Roger Locker for donating eggs to those who needed them — you’re an amazing person for doing that.

•Our animal shelters that are taking in animals that people are still dumping — thank you.

•All of our funeral homes — Baird-Freeman and Williamson-Spencer Penrod — we know how difficult this must be, so a big thank you for serving Portland.

•Williamson-Spencer and Penrod Funeral Home (again) for running a donation drive for the nursing facilities in Portland and Dunkirk — hearts of gold.

I also want to thank Jay County’s next generation of leaders. So many seniors were awarded scholarships during the honors ceremony.

The East Jay Student Council presidents awarded a scholarship, too. Great job ladies.

A young man from Illinois mailed in donations for the Williamson-Spencer and Penrod donation drive. So amazing.

4-H members are still training their livestock for shows and still helping the community. Bravo.

It is so nice to see these young people leading their community through this tough time. I can’t wait to see what they continue to do. 

I hope we never have to go through something like this ever again, but if we do, I know the entire community will come together once again. 

Elias Wagner

Portland