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Cartwright self-quarantining after contact with confirmed COVID-19 patient

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Gerrity’s supermarkets to offer special shopping hours for seniors

We increasingly self-isolate or shelter in place, not only on the advice of health experts and government officials, but because there are fewer and fewer places open to go dining, shopping or otherwise in search of entertainment. A modest suggestion: remember all those charity and church dinners, picnics and other events you usually attend &mdash; or thought about attending &mdash; and consider a donation to make up for the canceled event.
				Certainly, if you find yourself in an economic crunch as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic &mdash; fewer work hours, diminished tips, or even laid off &mdash; you need to worry about your own financial situation first. But many of us are still working, still collecting paychecks, still able to help others.
				The problem for many service and charity organizations is that they rely heavily on the fundraisers that are being dropped to maintain social distancing and try to flatten the curve of COVID-19&rsquo;s spread. From religious institutions to food pantries to volunteer fire and ambulance companies, they risk taking a financial hit through no fault of their own.
				Start, perhaps, with your preferred house of worship. The Diocese of Scranton suspended Mass celebrations. If you are in the habit of dropping a fixed amount in the collection basket each week, consider writing a check and sending it to the rectory (maybe call them first and see if that&rsquo;s OK). Other houses of faith are considering more restrictions, and even if they try to maintain business as usual they may still see diminished physical attendance. If you donated regularly before the pandemic, consider doing so during it.
				Then there are any fundraising events you would have attended but can&rsquo;t because of cancellation. Houses of worship are again a common host and beneficiary to such efforts, but they are conducted for many causes by many people. If they have merely been postponed and rescheduled, you may feel fine taking no action.
				After all, if you were planning to participate in the Big Brothers Big Sisters Bowl for Kids Sake at Chacko&rsquo;s Family Bowling Center in Wilkes-Barre, you still can (at least, so far) when it is held on the rescheduled date of June 13. But if the event you intended to support has been canceled with no new date in place, consider sending a contribution to the organization or agency it would benefit.
				In fact, if you really believe in the cause, you may want to send a little extra donation now, to help them get over this crisis.
				There is also a growing shortage of blood donations, an understandable result of self-isolation but also one that could be catastrophic for those in need. It&rsquo;s hardly surprising people concerned with contracting the new disease would be particularly wary of exposing their veins until this is over.
				The American Red Cross has noted cold and flu season always impacts donations, even without the fear of COVID-19, and that there is no evidence the respiratory disease is transmitted by blood. &ldquo;There have been no reported cases worldwide of transmissions for any respiratory virus, including the coronavirus, from transfusion&rdquo; Red Cross said in a recent appeal for donations.
				Remember we are distancing ourselves from the virus, not from each other.

Our View: Donations needed more than ever