Desert Messenger

February 3, 2021 ww.DesertMessenger.com 7 The Salvation Army happenings too much junk? CLEAN OUT THAT GARAGE List your items in Desert Messenger CLASSIFIEDS Email Editor@DesertMessenger.com or CALL RAIN @ 928-916-4235 THRIFT STORE Benefitting the La Paz County Animal Shelter in Parker Supported by your generous donations! 455 E. Main St. Quartzsite Open Tues. thru Sat. 9-3 928-927-4223 We have three beautifully hand- crafted quilts we are selling. The sale of these quilts will support the Quartzsite Fire Departments fund- raiser for new PPE equipment and the purchase of a new jaws of life unit. Monetary donations are also accepted. Thank you, Mrs. Roger, (she doesn't like recognition) for your beautiful lap quilts, that you graciously make for our fundrais- ers. We were awarded from the Town of Quartzsite, a Community Out- reach Funding Grant. We were able to purchase new wheelchairs to loan out for up to a two-month period. We will ask for identifi cation and a refundable deposit. Later, when the second part of funding is available, we will purchase transport chairs. Our adult and child diaper pro- gram, and our medical equipment loan out programs will continue. Please ask or call when the need arises. Stay healthy, too. When we are closed, if there is something specifi c you need, I can do a curbside sale. Please don't hesitate to call. We will remain on a three-day open schedule for shop- ping through February. Urgent Service Center needs are always ob- tainable with a phone call. Thanks for your understanding and following our safety protocols of sanitizing and holding donation items on our porch area. Yes, masks are required when donations are accepted. Items need to be brought into the porch area, a box/bag at a time. Donors are being asked if they can help with the sorting as we have a small receiving area. We are trying to take small donations at a time and not large truck loads. Spe- cial arrangements at times can be accommodated. Please call. We all appreciate your patience. Our amazing volunteers are pro- cessing donations as quickly as possible and practicing safety pro- cedures. Please mask up at the sign before walking up the ramp. We will limit the number of shop- pers when the store is overcrowded. Face coverings are required with nose and mouth covered, and we are doing the one camel six-foot safe distancing. Hand sanitizer is avail- able around the store. We so appre- ciate your patience and compliance. We will all get through these times together with patience and love for one another. A reminder that we do have the White Sheet, Desert Shopper, Quartzsite Nugget and the Winter Visitor Guide out front in paper stands and always the Desert Mes- senger inside the store or on the bench outside, too. ONE One tree can start a forest; One smile can begin a friendship; One hand can lift a soul; One word can frame a goal; One candle can wipe out darkness; One laugh can conquer gloom; One hope can raise your spirits; One life can make a difference, Be that ONE today. Unknown Lee-Ann Henle, Manager Quartzsite Salvation Army Thrift Store hours and days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM Quartzsite Salvation Army Service Center always available with a phone call 928-927-3636 store or 360-921-7571 cell Follow us on Facebook, Salvation Army Thrift Store, Quartzsite AZ I have thought long and hard before writing this letter. I know there very different attitudes about this subject, but I also believe the time has come for the citizens of Quartzsite to realize that we are liv- ing in a very different time. Masks! We all need to wear them. I mean all of us. At this point in the pandemic it is imperative that we put all personal opinions/attitudes aside. The Covid virus is mutating exponentially. As more and more people become infected the more mutation occurs. Scientists have no idea what new mutations will bring. Right now the virus spreads by droplets, but mutations could cause the virus to become present in all the air we breathe. That scenario is extremely frightening to me. I see people without masks in stores every time I go out. I also see a terrible lack of social distancing. What's the deal, folks? Don't you be- lieve the virus is real? What's it go- ing to take? Aren't 385,000 deaths in less than a year proof enough? It doesn't matter if you won't admit that to yourself...it's real. Your service in the armed ser- vices is greatly appreciated, but that doesn't give you the right to not wear a mask. There are responsibilities Opinions expressed in letters to the editor do not necessarily represent those of the Desert Messenger. letters to the editor that go hand in hand with rights. The responsibility to help keep our population safe doesn't end the day you get your DD 214. Wearing a mask is the least you can do. A mask is not a political statement... it's just a mask. In my opinion by refusing to wear a mask you're act- ing like an adolescent. Some of you act like you want to make people ill. I wear my mask for you, to protect you and your family in case I don't have symptoms. The point I'm hoping to make is that Quartzsite needs a mask man- date now. Leadership here seems to have a Laissez Faire attitude about keeping us safe. As you may or may not know, the average age of the population in Quartzsite is 70. We are all at serious risk of being in- fected by COVID-19. And if we are infected our chances of death are the highest in the world. Mr. Mayor and City Council please institute a mask mandate. Our numbers of COVID cases was sec- ond lowest in counties in the state at around 200-250 until November. In Nov. the number of cases started to increase due to the infl ux of peo- ple coming here for the season and at this point we have almost 2000 cases (31 cases newly diagnosed). Parker has a mask mandate thanks to the CRIT'S council. And it works. It would work here, too. Help our city stay well. Linda Cummings, full-time Quartzsite resident

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