Desert Messenger

April 1, 2020 www.DesertMessenger.com 13 Hearts in the Window movement Phone tree welfare check group Part of the Quartzsite Neighbor- hood Watch is a group called the Phone Tree. What it does is check on the welfare of you every day. It can be done by phone, text, email or through a Facebook group. During this virus pandemic, it's more important to check on our seniors. We all know someone who has fallen and could not get up for some reason and laid there for days. This will hopefully eliminate that from happening. If you would like to be part of a Phone Tree Calling, Texting or Email list please sign on at the Senior Center. If you go to Facebook Quartzsite Phone Tree group and ask to join you will be asked a few questions and then you will check in every day before 10am so we know you are ok. You can also read more about it on Facebook or call 928-662-7386. As the COVID-19 pandemic is isolating millions of people around the globe, a social media movement is encouraging many to decorate their homes in the hopes of instilling some hope and love into the world. Due to COVID-19, the Town of Quartzsite had to cancel the annual Easter Egg Hunt originally scheduled for April 11th. To fi ll the void, the back page of this edition of Desert Messenger has an Easter Egg that you can color, cut out and put in your window. Kids can go out for a walk and "hunt for the Eggs in the Windows!" Have fun and invite your friends to partici- pate! "It's not the same as the amazing event the Town has hosted over the years, but hopefully the Eggs in the Window will bring a bit of cheer to others," said Desert Messenger Publisher Shanana Rain Golden-Bear. She added, "Maybe kids and parents will add some hearts to their windows, too. Let's stay connected to each other during these trying times." Bailey Grose posted in a Prince George community Facebook group about an idea she had to get people to paste hearts in their windows to start a community-wide scavenger hunt. In less than three days, she received photos of more than 700 hearts and the post had been shared by more than 1,100 people. She asked people to cut, colour or paint hearts and hang them in their windows and then try to count as many as possible and post pictures to social media. Grose originally got the idea from a Facebook post she saw circulating with a similar idea with shamrocks, but it was only for St. Patrick's Day and she wanted to start something that would last longer. "I think it's the easiest thing that everyone can participate in. And kids love them and honestly all the adults are getting into it too. I just feel like it's a lovely thing," Grose told CBC. Grose added, "If you're going out for a walk with your immediate family that you're social distancing with, your kids can check out the windows and make a little scavenger hunt look for hearts." "Spread the love, not the germs" Natasha James is the founder of just one of the many growing Facebook groups dedicated to this effort, Hearts in the Window. She told CNN her original intent was to bring people together and make an online communi- ty giving families an activity to do while walking in their neighborhoods. Another Facebook group called A World of Hearts is sharing a similar sen- timent. Its founder, Tree Hanafy, told CNN she, too, wanted to share what she was doing to get involved. She added, "I think it's defi nitely helped bring some happiness to people who may be isolated at home all by them- selves," she said. "It's been wonderful to see all these people posting their photos and getting their families involved in it, too." So get creative and decorate your windows! Send a message of love and hope for your friends, neighbors, workers going to essential jobs, our fi rst responders, medical professionals, and anyone passing by. One heart or Easter Egg may just be "what the Doctor Ordered! Feel free to share pho- tos of your windows on Facebook.com/QuartzsiteChatter GROUP or on your pages. We are Quartzsite Strong! To reduce the number of people who may require offi ce visits, Gov. Doug Ducey last week issued an Executive Order extending the driver license expiration date by six months for anyone whose license expires between March 1 and Sept. 1. In order to make an appointment, customers should call the statewide service number at 602.712.2700 between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. In addi- tion to setting up appointments, MVD agents will determine if a customer can get their MVD ser- vice online and assist if necessary. More than two-thirds of MVD services are available at ServiceAri- zona.com. For more information: azdot. gov/mvd MVD changes ceive mutual aid from the state and federal governments. The Town of Quartzsite declared a Public Health Emergency on Mon- day, March 23, 2020. The WHO COVID-19 Situation Re- port for March 30 reported 693,224 confi rmed COVID-19 cases (58,411 new) and 33,106 deaths (3,215 new) globally. No new countries reported COVID-19 cases since the last report, but the trajectory of the growing pan- demic remains largely consistent. Blythe, CA has 2 confi rmed cases as of Monday. Twenty-eight states and 12 tribes have issued stay at home orders. All local Social Security offi ces are closed to the public for in-per- son service as of Tuesday, March 17, 2020. VULNERABLE POPULATIONS In the context of vulnerable popu- lations during the COVID-19 pan- demic, the focus has largely been on older individuals (eg, 60 years and older) and those with underlying health conditions, particularly heart and lung conditions. Yesterday, the US CDC expanded on these groups and published an overview of the available information and guidance for pregnant women and individu- als experiencing homelessness. Do your part and stay home when you are sick: Wash your hands of- ten with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with un- washed hands. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then immediately throw the tissue in the trash. Clean and disinfect frequent- ly touched objects and surfaces. For general questions please call the COVID-19 hotline at 844-542- 8201 and visit the ADHS corona- virus website at www.azdhs.gov/ coronavirus or the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/COVID19 . COVID-19 FROM PAGE 1

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