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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (April 29, 2020)
TEN - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, April 29, 2020 Guest Editorial Windmills are going up near Lexington Yes, you can market your business during Covid-19 closures By Greg Smith There is not a single person who has not been affected in some way by the fact many businesses have been forced to temporarily close. However, don’t as- sume you should not continue to market your business, especially as the economy begins to open. Here are some tips to Greg Smith consider: -Stay connected with your customers. If you do not have a website or social media presence, create one now. Offer a sign-up portal and send emails about products available, changes you anticipate making to your business once the economy opens and let them know you care about them and their families. -Offer ways people can continue to purchase your products or services online, including gift certificates. Social media ads to boost awareness are effective and affordable. -Fortunately, not all customers have lost their jobs and want to support their favorite hometown businesses. Consider having some t-shirts or hats designed and offer them online. You may be surprised how quickly they sell and are a great way to advertise. -Come up with a fun contest or way to interact with your customers. This might include a photo contest in which people upload candid shots to your Facebook page of their pets or children. One business encouraged clients to share their favorite recipes online. Perhaps a prize might include a gift card or discount to be used when your business reopens. -This is a great opportunity to find ways to help sup- port your community. There are many avenues available to assist others and if you are not in a financial position to do so, initiate a food drive or encourage people to donate blood. There are many needs. -Spiff up your store. Take this opportunity to consider painting, rearranging and updating displays and planting flowers. Wash windows and even the outside of your building. This will provide an inviting, fresh look for your customers when they return. -Consider joining other businesses in sharing the cost of buying radio or newspaper ads. Marketing really is about developing long term relationships. Offering products and services customers want to buy, providing outstanding service and being personable are all part of an effective marketing plan. Top of the mind awareness has never been more important, so being resourceful and creative will help you be resilient and among those standing after this crisis is over. Finally, it is imperative to learn from this instanta- neous and dramatic economic downturn. Be determined to get a handle on your finances, better manage your cash flow, update or create your business plan, and most importantly, create a rainy-day fund as anything can happen at any time. Greg Smith is the Director of the Eastern Oregon University Small Business Development Center. Spiritually Speaking What are you talking about (Lk 24:17) By Fr. Thankachan Joseph SDB, St. Patrick Church us the sacraments and the Holy Scriptures as sources of The whole world is going through the threat of encountering him in our troubled moments. Usu- COVID-19. Any time anyone calls someone the first ally when we face difficulties and problems, we question is, “How is the situation in your place? Is have a tendency to walk away from Him. Like everything under control?” I used to get plenty of the Hound of Heaven, he accompanies us, as we calls from overseas to find out whether I am safe or have noticed in the episode of the disciples of not. I am sure these days every one of us has only Emmaus. The Lord never leaves us to wander one thing to discuss, in the context of the wide spread Fr. Joseph or stroll. He explained the whole scriptures to of COVID-19 and the number of people who are them, but their hearts were locked up or closed, infected, how many died in different parts of the world, they could not recognize him. who died etc., something similar is the scenario of the Recognizing the Lord, in the Breaking of the Bread: disciples of Emmaus that we see on the 3 rd Sunday of The disciples did recognize the Lord in the breaking of the Easter’s Gospel reading. bread at the dining table, and the Lord left us a memorial We discussed the two disciples shadowing Christ and of him in the sacraments, especially in the Eucharist. The His untimely death. These two disciples are returning ways to meet the Lord is in the reception of the sacraments to their own hometown with broken hearts, disappoint- and in the reading of the scriptures. But these days we ments, hopelessness. I am sure that the whole world is are not able to come together as believing communities. now almost in the same situation of these two disciples. Church leaders have asked us to follow the norms of the I am sure many of us are feeling distress, fear, mental government, so we do not gather. The Lord predicted this disturbances, dissatisfaction, disappointment. In spite of situation well in advance during his priestly prayer in the this pandemic disease putting us all in distress and dismay, Gospel of John: “The time is coming, and is already here, the Risen Lord invites all to a reflection as Isaiah says, when all of you will be scattered, each of you to your own “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways home, and I will be left all alone” (John 16:31). are not my ways” (Is 55:8). The Emmaus journey and its What I am encouraging believing communities these various stages follow: days, is to spend time reading the scriptures and becoming Walking away from Peace to trouble: In the first part empowered in the word of God. Since we have no way of the Emmaus description, we see two disciples of Christ of approaching the sacraments these days because of the make a trip back to Jerusalem, which was known as the lock down, we need to become strengthened in the word of place of peace, their own native town, Emmaus, the place God. In the Emmaus experience, the Lord is, in fact, test- of hot springs. They are walking away from Jerusalem, ing the disciples about their scriptural knowledge. These for they feel it is not safe to stay there because of all that days I spend lots of time reading the New Testament, at happened with the crucifixion of Jesus the Nazarene. least. It will be a nice habit to share with your family or From the place of peace they are moving to troubles. friends, some healing miracles of Jesus Christ. The Lord Caring Stranger’s accompaniment: Gospel of Mat- cures so many people in the four Gospels. You can every thew concludes with these words, “And I will be with you day share one the healing miracles of Jesus Christ with always, to the end of ages” Matthew 28:20. The Lord is family or friends and become a witness of Jesus Christ, always faithful to his promises. We, as human as we are, instead of spending too much time on electronic media make promises to the Lord, but we are not able to keep and filling our minds with the negativity of COVID-19 our promises. Even if we walk away from him like the and its rampant spread in our cities and towns. wounded animal about which Francis Thomas describes Let’s be strengthened in the spirit of the Lord. As in his poem “Hound of Heaven,” The Lord chases us and we heard in the Gospel of the third Sunday of Easter, follows us to console and comfort us. The Lord has given the Lord accompanies the disciples of Emmaus and enlightens them on scriptures and asks them to believe in the scriptures. Stay at home, read the scriptures, and stay safe. With others we can be empowered in the word of God through phone messages and other social media; we can share with others scripture knowledge and fill our surroundings with a positive energy of Jesus Christ who is risen from the dead. usually near the main en- Host at Woodward Camp- tryway to the campground. ground, please contact Ki- Jubilee Lake Camp- yoshi Fujishin at the Walla sites, 12 picnic areas, a Campground Host at Bull ground is located 12 miles Walla Ranger District (509) beautiful 28-acre lake with Prairie Lake Campground, NE of Tollgate and is the 522-6277 or Kiyoshi.fu- four floating fishing docks please contact Janel Lacey largest developed camp- jishin@usda.gov. and a 1.5-mile paved ac- at the North Fork John ground on the Umatilla B u l l P r a i r i e L a k e cessible trail. For more Day Ranger District (541) National Forest offering Campground is located information on becoming 427-5394 or janel.lacey@ 53 campsites, four picnic 36 miles south of Heppner a Forest Service Volunteer usda.gov. areas and a 2.8-mile acces- and offers 30 tent/trailer sible hiking trail around the 92-acre lake. For more information on becoming a Forest Service Volunteer Campground Host at Ju- bilee Lake Campground, please contact Kiyoshi Fu- jishin at the Walla Walla Ranger District (509) 522- 6277 or Kiyoshi.fujishin@ usda.gov. Wo o d w a r d C a m p - ground is located right off Highway 204 at Tollgate and offers 14 tent/trailer sites, four picnic areas, four accessible toilet facilities, and views of Langdon Lake (however Langdon Lake is a private lake and access to the lake is not allowed). For more information on becoming a Forest Service Volunteer Campground Forest Service seeks campground hosts Campgrounds remain closed, Forest Service pre-planning for sum- mer needs if restrictions eased The Umatilla National Forest is looking for volun- teers to spend the summer as campground hosts at the Jubilee Lake, Woodward and Bull Prairie Lake camp- grounds. The Forest Service’s top priority is the safety and health of employees and the public. At this time, all developed recreation sites are closed. The Umatilla National Forest intends to bring in campground hosts for the summer but may adjust based on the pro- gression of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state’s exec- utive orders, and the status of the closure order for the Forest’s developed rec- reation sites. As Oregon and Washington state lift Stay at Home executive orders, the Forest Service will work with state and local health agencies to transition Forest Service operations and services as local conditions warrant. If current stay home and closure orders are still in effect, the Forest Service will defer campground host start dates until restrictions are lifted or cancel the vol- unteer program. A decision on campground hosts will be made by mid-June and Forest Service personnel will notify all volunteers at that time. A campground host greets campers, provides information on the sur- rounding area and gener- ally makes campers feel at home. Hosts will visit with campers and day-use visitors, clean and maintain restrooms, restock supplies, occasionally clean up after campers and carry out mi- nor maintenance as needed. They keep an eye on things and set a good example for others in the campground. Individuals or couples can apply to be hosts. Host applicants may be subject to a criminal background check. Those who apply will need to supply their own trailer, camper or motor home. Campground hosts will be provided a campsite,
