Desert Messenger

6 www.DesertMessenger.com March 18, 2020 DESERT MESSENGER Quartzsite's FREE Community Paper Proud to be a Quartzsite Licensed Business 928-916-4235 O� T��� - E���� T���! Founded by Walt Akin October 1, 2004 P�������� �� P���� R��� P��������� C�. P.O. Box 3185 Quartzsite, AZ 85359 P�������� ����� � ����� 1st & 3rd Wednesday Sept. thru May with Special Summer Editions June, July & August EDITOR/PUBLISHER Shanana "Rain" Golden-Bear CONTRIBUTING JOURNALIST Joanne Winer GUEST COLUMNIST Gypsy Jane Finley CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Starr BearCat NAME PLATE LETTERING Paul Winer www.DesertMessenger.com www.MyQuartzsite.com E-mail: Editor@DesertMessenger.com 2018 © Copyright All Rights Reserved Copyright 2013 Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Desert Messenger. LIKE US on Facebook.com/ DesertMessengerNews FOLLOW US on Twitter @QuartzsiteRain Neighborhood Watch to meet Quartzsite Neighborhood Watch meets the fi rst Thursday of each month at 6:00 PM. The next meeting will be THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2020, at the Com- munity Center. For more infor- mation contact the Quartzsite Po- lice Department at 928-927-4644. By Shanana "Rain" Golden-Bear LETTERS TO EDITOR POLICY Desert Messenger encourages letters from its readers. Letters should be no longer than 300 words, and may be edited for grammar, content and length. OPINIONS EXPRESSED HEREIN DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THOSE OF THE DESERT MESSENGER. We invite you to not only see a problem, but search for the solution to share with the com- munity, keeping the benefit of all in mind. Letters considered libelous, in poor taste, on a personal issue, mean spirited or dominated by Scripture quotes will not be published. Third party letters will not be accepted. To avoid confusion over people with common or similar names, writers must provide a full name and indicate the name they are known by. Writers must provide a full street address and phone number. Rvers can provide the loca- tion of park/BLM land, etc. Street addresses will not be published. Phone numbers are for verification only and will not be printed. Mail letters to: Desert Messenger, P.O. Box 3185, Quartzsite, AZ 85359 or E-mail to Editor@DesertMessenger.com 928-916-4235 DEADLINE : WED. MARCH 25 TH for the April 1 st edition Desert Messenger News Email: editor@DesertMessenger.com 928-916-4235 www.DesertMessenger.com It Is Not Too Late, You Can Donate to the Food Bank Instead of Paying Your AZ Taxes The Arizona Charitable Tax Credit is a wonderful opportunity for YOU and Friends of the Quartzsite Food Bank (FQFB.) YOU choose to pay the state or donate to FQFB –Up to $400 for individuals and $800 for couples! Qualifying Charitable Organization Code 21044 for AZ tax form 321 and info https://azdor.gov/tax- credits You can donate up to April 15 and use on this year's AZ taxes. When leaving this year donate your canned and boxed food to us at 40 N Moon Mountain Ave. Tues & Thurs 8-noon or drop off at the Horizon Community Bank, Road- runner Market, Dollar General or Coyote Fresh Foods. Help us help people who need a hand up in Quartzsite. Donate at QuartzsiteFoodBank. com or mail a check and making it out to: Friends of the Quartzsite Food Bank, PO Box 4671, Quartzsite, AZ 85359 For more info call 480-286-8373. Thank you from FQFB and all our hard-working volunteers. Not too late to donate First and foremost I wish you strength for yourself and your fam- ily, and compassion and empathy for others at a time of great chal- lenge for us all. Over the next few weeks or even months, we are be- ing called to bring the best of who we are to every moment. I hear your fears. I hear your de- nials, also. I hear your words that may strike out at others because you can't admit you're afraid of what the future may bring. Change does not come easy to us humans, right? We seem to resist change at every cor- ner. Now the whole world is feeling fear of this coronavirus and some folks just don't know what to do with all these emotions. Some get stubborn and think only for them- selves, while others are seeking ways to help those in need. How- ever, I am remembering my teach- ings from elders who I admired years ago. These elders shared with us that there would be a time which would require a great need for com- passion around the globe. I attended a teaching over the weekend with an elder talking about how all religions have taught us to honor our elders and take care of them in a good way. The elders are the ones who hold the wisdom, and without our elders, the wisdom becomes silent. We are being called now to take care of each other as our grandpar- ents, and their grandparents have taught. We are all in this together, so let's put aside our political dif- ferences and come together for our community. Quartzsite's median age is 70 years! Everything we do affects those around us. Many local and regional churches have chosen to curtail their regular services. Even in the native com- munities, relatives are being asked to take a break from community ceremonies. But that should not stop us from praying or staying con- nected to each other to benefi t our community. Even while being quar- anteened, the Italians have shown us how to share with others through singing on balconies. Yes, life will probably not get back to normal for quite some time, but as a species, we have learned to adapt to many changes over mille- nium. It may feel like the our com- munity is going nuts, but as other countries have proven, we can get through this together. The economy can be rebuilt. Loss of precious lives cannot. CANCELLED

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