Eich: Working to responsibly support Crystal Lake businesses

I think we all can agree that 2020 has not turned out as we hoped it could have been. Come midnight Dec. 31, many of us will welcome in the new year with almost as much enthusiasm as we will in saying “good riddance” to 2020.

Yet on a positive note, this year has forced us to take a look at what is important in our lives. Personally, I have a newfound respect and admiration for all the health care workers and first responder front-line workers who continue to take care of all of us through this pandemic. To this list of front-line workers, I now have added grocery clerks and stockers, drive-thru workers and delivery drivers, and even our internet provider and Zoom.

When the pandemic first started, I struggled as to the rationale for the list of “essential businesses” provided by the state. As the pandemic has gone on, I began to realize that the “list” of essential businesses was just that – a list. In the end, we all are essential to each other.

Proof of this is visible in the innovative new ways we found to work and live in our community despite the restrictions that were in place. Also, we all found newly appreciated value in human interaction, even if it was on Zoom. I have found in observing all of this that we do not really like the word “can’t.” We have heard it a lot this year from politicians, local and national news stations, even family and friends. Yet as the months go by, we all start to either wonder why we cannot do something, or we want to know what we can do.

As mentioned in a Northwest Herald article dated Oct. 28, our local businesses and restaurants have been advised that due to elevating COVID-19 positive tests, mitigation restrictions will go into effect requiring the following:

• Tier 1 mitigation efforts include a ban on indoor service and bar seating at restaurants and bars. Bars and restaurants also will be required to close by 11 p.m. and may reopen no earlier than 6 a.m. the next morning.

• Visitors must make reservations ahead of time, and tables for outdoor dining must be spaced at least 6 feet apart, according to the state of Illinois COVID-19 response website. Tier 1 mitigation efforts also include a ban on party buses and capacity limitations of 25 guests or 25% of the overall room capacity for both indoor and outdoor meetings and gatherings.

In our ongoing effort to protect our neighbors and the community, I’m sure most of us do not want to increase the chances of someone contracting COVID-19. According to experts, the mitigation restrictions will reduce the chances of getting the virus.

As I read it, logically, it should reduce the risk. I also am aware of the growing sentiment and fact that many local businesses and restaurants will be greatly hurt financially when these mitigation restrictions go into effect.

Both local restaurants and businesses are scared and frustrated. I’m not writing this to advocate or advise businesses or restaurants to comply or not. I’m writing this to talk about the things we can do. The “can-do” items are some of the ways we can support our local establishments that will be restricted for the coming weeks.

Here is a list of what you can do to get you started:

• Stop by a local business and buy a gift card/certificate or make a purchase.

• Call or go online and order breakfast, lunch or dinner from a local restaurant and either have it delivered or pick it up.

• Purchase a lunch for first responders, day care workers and other essential workers.

• Shop for holiday gifts in person or online at local stores. Go online and search for our local stores, businesses and restaurants. Please support local businesses or restaurants!

• Stop into a restaurant or business and do a wellness check. Ask how they are doing and what you can do to help. While you’re there, order lunch or buy something.

• Adopt a restaurant! Order from a restaurant at least once a week. Adopt two! Consider giving back.

• Help a business or restaurant by buying gift cards, then sign them back over to the restaurant and let them know that you appreciate all they do in our community and that you want to help them get through this.

• Encourage your friends and family to do any or all of the above items.

These are only a few things we all can do to help the local businesses and restaurants. While these businesses and restaurants are dealing with the restrictions imposed on them, let’s all focus on what we can do to help them over the winter. Please, make the extra effort to shop and dine local, Crystal Lake! Our local businesses and restaurants are depending on you.

• Bill Eich is president of the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce.