Dave Gibson, Nederland. The NCAA Basketball Tournament may have been cancelled this year due to coronavirus, yet Nederland had a sweet sixteen of its own last Friday, March 20, at the B&F Mountain Market—sixteen is how many workers were on duty that day assuring that people had access to food. There are enough other employees at B&F and behind the scenes to fill the brackets. As important as changing our habits during these challenging times, is keeping the food supply chain operational and its workers healthy. Please stay home if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms or suspect that you may have been exposed to the virus. Limit grocery shopping to once a week. 

Rules such as the employees wearing protective gloves, not touching their faces with their hands, frequent hand washing, and repeated disinfecting of checkout counter surfaces are now standard procedure. As a further precaution, only twenty-five to thirty shoppers are allowed in the store at one time and a short line is sometimes encountered outside the entrance. The first hour of business is reserved for seniors. Even though the shelves are well-stocked and projected to remain that way, so that there is enough for everyone and to prevent hoarding, temporary limits have been placed on certain items such as milk, bread, and pasta. Those I encountered were upbeat and grateful for the essential service in the safest environment possible. They are genuinely happy to see and chat with their neighbors again, albeit often with a little more space between them.

B&F Mountain Market extends its thanks to patrons for their cooperation and patience during the pandemic. The mountain community thanks B&F and all of its employees for their commitment.  

(Originally published in the March 26, 2020, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)