Buzzz, Buzzz, Buzzz

Kendra felt the vibration of her cell phone.

She had been waiting all day for a call from her boyfriend Dwayne. Kendra was pleasantly surprised when she looked down and the the caller ID read City of Martinsville.

Her excitement caused her to accidentally

fumble and drop her phone, while trying to retrieve it from her lavender cashmere cardigan pocket.

“Hello, Hello This is Kendra!” She nervously answered. She was hoping that this call

would be a really positive one.

“ Hey babe…you sound out of breath? Is

everything okay?” Dwayne asked. He was Kendra’s boyfriend and he also worked

for the City of Martinsville.

“ Yes…I’ve just been holding my breath, waiting for you to call. Just hoping and wondering

has the board decided or made their decision?

or have they even discussed my proposal for the “Corona Day?”for our city.

“Well__Kendra…”

“Well what Dwayne! Did the board

shoot it down or are they considering my

proposal for Corona Day?” Kendra apprehensively persisted as she paced back and-forth in her colorfully decorated condo.

“Kendra if you would let me, I am attempting

to explain. These types of decisions are not made over night they takes time. You presented your proposal about what?”

“Six weeks ago” Kendra interrupted. “And I’ve been waiting and waiting to hear some thing.”

“ Okay ….Kendra I actually have some news___

Mayor Laura McIntyre asked that I contact you right away, she wants to hear more and she is requesting for you to come down to City Hall on Wednesday morning at 09:30.”

“Sounds great Dwayne, I have no problem coming down to City Hall but why does the mayor want me to do that? “

“She wants you to come to give a presentation before the selection board, in regards to your proposal for the Corona Day.” Dwayne excitedly exclaimed. “I can tell you that it’s been my experience that presentations are reserved for only those proposals that are well on their way to being passed by the selection board.

“Are you Serious Dwayne? “Kendra began jumping up and down as she waved her hands

in the air. “Yeahhhhh!” She shouted my idea for the ‘Annual Corona Day’ is one step closer to becoming a holiday here in Martinsville!” She flashed her bright smile as she did her happy dance across her living room floor.

“Girrrrrrrlllll I can see you smiling through the phone”. Dwayne laughed. He was elated to be able to give Kendra the positive news.

This is an endeavor, which has been near and dear to her heart. Kendra worked extremely hard on this project for several months.

Dwayne’s position as a City Council member came with enormous responsibilities which included being in charge of some of the laws and bylaws of the city of Martinsville.

Kendra recently presented her proposal to the city at a recent board meeting.

When a proposal is submitted, by a citizen,

by law the committee is required to start the proceedings to take the proposal through a selection process. If selected the proposal would be discussed, and then voted on by the committee and council members.

Kendra proposal for an annual Corona Day stemmed from our recent Coronavirus Pandemic. The Day of Remembrance would be held annually on January 21st. This day had been chosen because the date coincides with that of the first US case of COVID-19 being confirmed. The initial patient happened to be

a thirty five year old male from Washington State. His confirmation was on January 21,2020.

The young man tested positive after returning from a trip to Wuhan China. And, as we all know the virus sparked a worldwide pandemic. The first US death being reported on February

29, 2020. As the pandemic continue to reap havoc over a two-year span the virus unfortunately took the lives of at least 6.7 million vulnerable and unsuspecting individuals.

During the pandemic, people were on lockdown, sequestered, quarantined and unable to have human contact with anyone for at least ten days early on. Kendra proposed that on “Corona

Day” individuals would do the exact opposite. They would make it a point to go visit loved ones, friends, neighbors, coworkers, anyone that’s ill in a hospital, nursing home, jail, assisted, living, where ever they are, even in their homes. And not only would they make a special visit to the ill individuals, they would also take a special card that Kendra is in the process of making. The greeting cards will

read:

“I am visiting you in honor of___and on the card the person that is visiting the individual, could list the names of love ones that they lost to COVID-19. So the individual that is visiting the person will be visiting that ill person in the honor of a loved one or friend that they lost.

Because most everyone most likely knew of at least one person that lost their life during the pandemic, to the coronavirus.

Kendra felt passionate about this endeavor.

Due to the fact that during the height of the pandemic Kendra lost both of her grandparents, and a uncle to the unrelenting virus.

Although Kendra was only thirty five,

she constantly thought about her legacy. She would often ponder about the impression that she would leave for others when she passed on.

Kendra especially desired to leave her nieces and nephews positive footprints for them to follow in. And she felt as if her ideal for the Corona Day would be a gigantic start for a positive legacy. Kendra had always attempted

to place the needs of others before her own.

*********

So following Kendra spectacular presentation, much to her surprise, her proposal was unanimously approved by the board.

It was Kenya’s hope and dream that Corona Day would start in Martinsville, and then would one day become a national holiday.