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In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic businesses have taken a hit and plenty of people have more time on their hands.

In some of those situations, the business owners and individuals have found productive ways to redirect their efforts. Warren Reuther, owner of, among other properties, the Grand Hotel in Natchez had to close the hotel last week due to a lack of tourists.

Reuther offered the unused facility to Merit Health Natchez to be used any way the hospital sees fit, which the hospital administrator said could possibly be as an overflow testing site if the local pandemic comes to that.

Meanwhile, a couple of local seamstresses have put their spare time to work making masks to donate to local healthcare providers.

Rivers Ater started making masks for healthcare workers and created a Facebook group titled “Masks for the Miss-Lou” to enlist others to join the cause of making masks for the healthcare providers.

The masks, which are in short supply, will help protect healthcare workers who are on the frontlines attending to patients who may have COVID-19.

Those are just two examples of people who are pitching in to help their neighbors and community in these difficult times.

We applaud them and thank them for their efforts and hope they serve as an example for others to follow.

Together, we will get through this COVID-19 pandemic crisis.