Page 7 - Mid Valley Times 3-18-21 E-edition

Thursday, March 18, 2021
The View From Here
There’s a feature in Facebook, called mem- ories.
How it
works is,
if a post or
photo was
shared the
year prior,
it will bring up that particu- lar post on its anniversary date.
This year on March 14 my “memory” consisted of a post and photo I shared while visiting a popular restaurant in Fresno called Westwoods BBQ.
On any given night, West- woods is filled with people laughing, enjoying drinks or the amazing BBQ sandwich- es they serve, mainly a great place to just having a good time socializing with friends and family.
On March 14, 2020, I ex- pected to find the restaurant exactly like that.
I was mistaken.
Except for a few bartend- ers and waiters, we pretty much had the place to our- selves. This was a Saturday night, Westwoods never looked like this on a Saturday night.
Sitting at the bar drinking a glass of wine, I tried to ig- nore the silence around me. While my boyfriend drank his beer - I believe he tried to do the same.
The big elephant in this room was that, there was no elephant. It was eerily quiet.
No patrons, no laughter, no glasses clinking, no small talk. Nothing.
I didn’t know then how much of an impact that CO- VID-19 would take on us. I didn’t know then that it would kill millions world- wide, including two people whom I personally knew.
I didn’t know then that the shortage of toilet paper was on its way, or that the next time we sat inside that es- tablishment or any establish- ment, we would be required to wear a mask.
Ihadnoidea.ButIre- member feeling unsettled. Seeing the empty restaurant really gave me a sinking feeling.
I felt a collective fear, not just from me and my boy- friend but from the few other employees who were work- ing that night. It was like a giant wave was coming, deep down we knew it was coming and event though we wanted to stop it, we couldn't.
It's been one year since that experience. On the af- ternoon of Friday, March 12, 2021, I found myself sitting, not at Westwoods this time, but rather on a chair inside a vaccine clinic.
A registered nurse dressed in a pair of colorful scrubs made small talk as
SEE COLUMN on page A8
Juanita Adame
'Seussical the Musical' a success at Immanuel
LukeWilinsportrayedastheGrinchfortheImmanuel Schoolspro- duction of "Seussical the Musical."
Drive-thru eats 'Spring edition' coming to Big Fresno Fair
By Juanita Adame
Mid Valley Times
Students with Immanuel's Performing Arts center per- formed "Seussical the Musi- cal" to friends and families during the weekend of March
13. More than 22 students participated in the colorful and art filled musical which contained a variety of musi- cal numbers and dances from several Dr. Seuss books and its characters.
Contributed
The Big Fresno Fair will be hosting a drive thru eats event starting on April 14 to April 18.
“Our October Drive-Thru Eats event was such a success and brought so much joy to the community, we decided to host this Spring event so our community can enjoy their favorite Fair foods early this year,” said Lauri King, Deputy Manager II, The Big Fresno Fair. “Who couldn’t use a lit- tle Fair food in their life right now?
The Spring eats event will not have entertainment, how- ever guests will still be able to choose from a wide variety of fair foods, plus two souve- nir booths with inflatable figu- rines, light up and plush toys, bubble machine.
Fair officials also added that this drive thru eats event will be a slightly smaller ver-
sion of the fair's drive-thru eats held in October.
Hours for the event will be from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
"This a great way to support the fair indus- try and our vendors," said King. "They have now been without any in-person fair or event for more than a full year.”
Officials also said the event will be “cashless pre- ferred”; while cash will be ac- cepted, debit and credit cards are preferred. Face coverings will be required for whoever is ordering and/or receiving food.
The route will begin on Kings Canyon Avenue into the Carnival Lot; attendees will exit onto Butler Avenue. At- tendees must remain in their vehicles at all times.
For more information on this year's Spring eats event contact (559) 650-3247.
Photo of the week
Photos by Juanita Adame / Mid Valley Times
From left, Elijah Thomas as "Mr. Mayor," Jamee Lindahl as "Thing 1" Paige Howard as "Thing 2" and Trevin Paulson as "Cat in the Hat" performed at Immanel Schools for Seussical the Musical on March 14.
Stepping up to help Reedley resident fulfill her dreams
Photo Contributed
From left, Rotarian Sue Buckley, Reedley College EOPS Direc- tor Mario Gonzales, Joanna Aguilar, (and her four sons) RC Counselor Anastacia Klimek, Reedley College President and Rotarian Dr. Jerry Buckley.
Photo Courtesy / YourCentralValley.com
Guests lined up during the Big Fresno Fair "drive thru eats" event in Oct. 2020. The event was held as a drive thru since the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions didn't allow for large crowd gatherings.
Contributed
The Reedley Rotary Club, along with the College Extended Opportunity Pro- grams and Services (EOPS) and the Department of So- roptimist International of Clovis, presented an award to Reedley resident Joanna Aguilar.
Theawardiscalled "Live Your Dreams" and provides women with the resources they need to improve their education, skills and employ- ment prospects.
Aguilar is pursuing her degree at Reedley College to earn a degree to become a social worker. She was hon- ored on March 4.
This photo of Lanah Alejandra Cortes, 1, standing in front of the Reedley sports complex was sent in by her mother, Evelyn Tovar. Have a photo you'd like featured? Email juanita@midvalleypub- lishing.com.
Contributed