The Jewish Passover, the Christian Holy Week, the Muslim time of Ramadan, and the Bahá'í feast of Ridvan all recently celebrated or are still celebrating the best of who we are in times of suffering and darkness.
Together, we want to acknowledge the gift of courage and hope currently shining from those in our community, visible and not so visible, who are considered, regardless of their faith and practice, “essential” in the realm of labor and who continue to light lamps amidst the darkness that is this pandemic.
On behalf of the Brattleboro Area Interfaith Leadership Alliance, and all of our respective members, thank you!
Thank you to all those serving on the front lines of this global outbreak; to members of Rescue Inc., police officers, firefighters, dispatchers, and department support personnel.
Thank you to doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other allied health care professionals serving Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and Grace Cottage Hospital and area nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
Thank you to all adjunct staff who are working tirelessly to keep those centers up and running. We know these facilities cannot function without janitorial, cafeteria, and administrative staff. You may not be as visible to the general public, but we see you, and we thank you with all of our hearts!
Beyond the front line, many others in our community have also revealed themselves to be essential: public works personnel, grocery and convenience store clerks, bankers, postal service employees, all those who serve our area homeless friends, mental health workers, sanitation workers, news outlet employees ... the list goes on and on.
Perhaps we never realized just how important you all are when it comes to keeping the proverbial wheels on our town bus going round and round. But we pray for you now, and when this time has come to pass, as it certainly will, may we never forget!
With heartfelt thanks, prayers, and hopes,