Blogs

August is typically the time of year that we at Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada would be buttoning up the final details on our annual Plates to Ease Poverty gala. By now, the menu would be chosen, the décor designed, the invitations sent, and the recipients of the Bishop’s Humanitarian Award notified. We’d be well on our way to holding this cornerstone event that raises critical funds for our poverty assistance programs for those in deepest need in our community.

With the travel restrictions due to COVID-19, many families are staying close to home and have turned to camping as an alternative to other types of vacation. Additionally, the RV dealerships are seeing an increase in sales by 30 percent over last year. With this influx of new campers and several months of closed campgrounds this past spring, it has been challenging to secure a camping reservation for this season.

Before the global pandemic brought local events to a grinding halt, “About Town Deb” — aka Debbie McCarthy — spent most of her time attending events and fundraisers, traveling and  helping our community in other ways. So when the COVID shutdown sent everyone home, she didn’t know what to do with herself.

To make matters worse, she was sidelined at a time when people needed her positivity more than ever.

Self-proclaimed workaholic Bob Lissner was looking for a place to share his experience and abilities after retiring from his position as the founder of Lifestyle Homes. He found that and more at Northern Nevada HOPES, where he has been volunteering for many years.

“I believe in their mission,” he says. “They’re providing medical care for people who wouldn’t otherwise have access.”

I get it: Quarantine fatigue is a thing, and it’s REAL. 

If I'm being honest, I'm tired of it all, too. But considering I'm an editor for Just the Positive (emphasis on “Positive,”), I thought I'd dig deep and offer some much-needed happy talk about my favorite new fashion accessory: face masks!  

I know, I know: They’re uncomfortable. They’re hot. They make your glasses fog up. They ALWAYS need washing. They’re hard to find when you need them.

Editor's Note: Beginning the day after the riot in downtown Reno that destroyed property and rocked our community, Diaz Dixon, CEO of the Eddy House and community advocate, took to Facebook Live. 

And every morning since then, he has posted a Facebook Live video with powerful words about racism, the struggles faced daily by people of color and the power of positivity. 

If you are feeling anxious, overwhelmed, stressed, sad or even angry about coronavirus, you are not alone. We have all been affected in some way. Coronavirus is a global phenomenon, and Reno/Sparks, Nevada is not an exception. In a short span of time, our “normal” at home, school and in our community has changed.

Any change requires an adjustment. Abrupt change, like what we face with coronavirus, can lead to a rollercoaster of painful emotions. That is why we are sharing with you our top five things to do to stay positive during these trying times.

For many, the global pandemic has been a crisis “perfect storm” — economic struggles, fears about health and personal challenges all coming together at the same point in time, resulting in unmatched emotional and physical turbulence.