Harry Huckemeyer
Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Less than a year ago, our club was participating at one of the annual events a little up north that lasted for a three-day period, and on the first day it was estimated that approximately 7,000 interested parties passed through the area, viewing several of the Model Railroad Club’s displays that were showcasing their products. Shortly after, the coronavirus appeared out of nowhere, and not only our country, but the entire world almost immediately came to a standstill, as it brought with it a virus never seen before. It was rapidly having drastic results with no quick cure available to slow it down or an effective method to treat the fast-spreading epidemic. With all that, all our lives have changed significantly. Many safety precautions were put in place to attempt to isolate passing on the effects of the virus, with many guidelines on how to protect oneself in the best manner known at the time for our own safety. The new word out on the streets was, “We’re All in This Together.”
While most of us were requested to stay at home as much as possible to help minimize the risks of becoming vulnerable to exposure to the virus, there are just too many to mention of all those who worked long hours doing critical jobs to keep our people safe and our store shelves stocked. Our thanks go out to all of them and, hopefully, they know that we really appreciate the efforts of each and every one of them. We still have a long way to go before we do get back to some normalcy; however, there are some positive signs that we can build on. Several of the restaurants in the area, as well as within the Sun Lakes communities, are open. There are several restrictions regarding social distancing and masks while entering any of the buildings in the area, and at some of the restaurants, there may be a limited menu and hours of operation, but it’s a good start. The Robson Library still isn’t open, but I understand the Chandler libraries, including the one at Hamilton High School, are now open.
Like most clubs in the area, we are in a “holding pattern.” Typically, our busy season starts shortly after Labor Day in the fall, but because of the virus situation, most of the events associated with this timeframe are also in a holding pattern, and their events are now somewhat questionable. Each one of these events starts their planning process during the summer months which will really be a challenge with such a late start. Our membership is somewhat scattered, and we do try to stay in touch, although we do close down ourselves during the summer months. We are planning to have our September meeting as scheduled, but because of the social distancing, it is open to club members only. Guidelines established by the HOA will be followed as instructed, as our meeting room does have some limitations which we have to keep in mind regarding occupancy.
If you have any questions regarding our club, its membership, or in any way I can be of any help, please feel free to give me a call. I can be reached at 480-802-4976 or by email at [email protected]. Have a great day—Stay safe and stay healthy—and remember, “We’re All in This Together.” Enjoy your day and treat yourself to something special.