On March 1st, 2020, the first case of COVID-19 was reported in South Florida. Today, one year later, Floridians are still traumatized by the disease and its consequences. With over 30K lives lost at the time of writing and despite mass vaccination, the end is still not in sight. However, while Coronavirus did have mainly negative effects on society, there are a few positive aspects that stemmed from the disease worth noting.
One of these is the way communities have managed to stay strong and united, even during times of hardship. In Florida, local and regional communities were forced to reinvent themselves in order to avoid growing apart, with social gatherings being prohibited or discouraged – and the results were creative, but more importantly, encouraging for the future of life alongside COVID-19.
Outdoor malls instead of community centers
One of the sectors worst hit by the pandemic and its restrictions was the commercial one. Stores were forced to close down and even when they opened up again, residents were afraid of crowding and preferred to shop online. That’s why this joint venture by community leaders and outdoor shopping center owners is quite interesting. Many events, formerly held indoors in crowded areas, were relocated to the spacious lots these shopping centers have to offer.
Take the Mercato, an outdoor shopping plaza in Naples for example. Right after its reopening in May, the center launched a series of live music shows, family-oriented with an emphasis on local music and creation. All shows are held out in the open – taking advantage of the pleasant weather year-round.
“We feel really safe here, they don’t compromise on hygiene at all. I’ve seen a maintenance worker disinfect the chairs and tables a few times since we’ve got here,” told Jill Steinberger, a local resident, during our visit to the area. “You came at the right time,” said another passerby, “but if you stick around till next week, they show movies on the lawn here. How great is that?”
Community holiday cheer, a bit differently
Further up north, the Jewish Community of Greater Tampa found creative ways to celebrate Hanukkah last year, without jeopardizing the community’s health. The Organization of Chabad at Wiregrass moved its annual ‘festival of lights’ celebration to the Grove at Wesley Chapel, an outdoor shopping street in the northern area of the Bay.
The event was sponsored by Mishorim Gold Investments, the managing group of the Grove, and by Canadian businessman Alex Shnaider, owners of Mishorim and a long-time donor to Colel Chabad. Despite limitations and circumstances, the holiday turned out to be “bigger and better than ever,” according to Chani Yarmush, co-director of Chabad at Wiregrass.
We paid the Grove a visit last month, just as the North American Big Top Circus was wrapping up three days of festivities at the plaza – all under strict restrictions of social distancing. “This has been such an experience for us as a family,” confessed Alicia Ferrano, a local mom of three, “especially these days when the kids have pretty much nothing to do. I think it’s important that these places are still open and are able to make up for the lack of outdoor socializing.”
“This plaza is more than just a shopping center for the families of Hillsborough and Pasco county. It’s a place to breathe some fresh air, literally and metaphorically,” added David Lakhner, 34, from Pebble Creek. “You have to understand,” he told us, “that almost all other recreation areas have been opened and closed countlessly. There’s no place for single people like me to meet, and these events that they hold here help restore a bit of sanity.”
A look ahead
In Hernando County, the first-ever annual regional Kwanzaa celebration took place – online, naturally. Families were invited to share their special traditions. Zoom courses and lectures were held all throughout the holiday, discussing the African American community’s history in southern Florida, but the most interesting event was definitely a DIY workshop on creating holiday decorations from stuff everyone has at home.
If there’s something to be learned from these and other examples, it’s that the human need to be part of a community is stronger than any virus. Hopefully, this approach will stay relevant even after COVID-19 stops dictating the way we live our lives, showing that a community can prosper and serve its members even without them physically being together.
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