(PL)
THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC HAS
FORCED BUSINESSES TO ADJUST HOW
THEY OPERATE WITH SOME HAVING TO
LAY OFF THEIR ENTIRE STAFF.
(DN)
TODAY -- MELISSA SARDELLI IS
INTRODUCING US TO A SMALL
BUSINESS OWNER WHO STEPPED UP
AND HELD A FUNDRAISER FOR A
COMPETITOR WHO ISN'T ABLE TO
STAY OPEN RIGHT NOW.
MOTHER AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNER
-MICHELLE SWEET IS FEELING THE
STRAIN OF THE CORONOVIRUS ON HER
CHILDREN'S PLAY CENTER "MAKE
-A-MESS" SO SHE'S MAKING
ADJUSTMENTS.
"We started doing take home kits
including make your own snow,
slime kits."
THE NORTH KINGSTOWN BUSINESS
OWNER THANKFUL HER FACILITY CAN
SO EASILY ADAPT IN THESE TIMES
WHILE REALIZING OTHERS ARE NOT
SO FORTUNATE.
"We noticed that Biomes
didn't.....their facilities to
go an visit the fish. This is
their busy time with school
field trips and birthday parties
and all of those things got
canceled."
DESPITE FACING HER OWN
STRUGGLES, SWEET, DECIDED TO
START A FUNDRAISER FOR HER
FELLOW BUSINESS OWNER AND
COMPETITOR.
"I think that what tugged at my
heart strings the most was with
those guys they've been around
since 1989 and Mark has always
put the care of his animals
first. We cannot lose a gem in
this community like Biomes."
MARK HALL, THE OWNER OF BIOMES
TELLS ME...
"We've had some fantastic
support from the community to
help us ride this out, from
Michelle setting up a fundraiser
to dozens of people renewing
their memberships. We've even
had people pulling into the
parking lot to donate to help
feed the fish. The cost of rent,
fish food and electricity stays
the same whether we are open for
business or not, so every bit is
huge help."
LIKE MANY - HALL HAS ALSO HAD TO
LAY OFF HIS ENTIRE STAFF AND
SOLELY CARES FOR ROUGHLY 2,000
ANIMALS AND FISH AT HIS
FACILITY.
I'VE POSTED A LINK TO THE
GOFUNDME PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE.
WE WANT TO SHARE YOUR STORIES OF
KINDNESS AND COMPASSION HERE ON
EWN - SEND ME YOUR STORIES,
PHOTOS AND VIDEOS TO M-SARDELLI
AT WPRI DOT COM OR FIND ME ON
FACEBOOK AND TWITTER AND WE MAY
SHARE YOUR STORIES IN THE DAYS
AHEAD
MELISSA SARDELLI EYEWITNESS
