An Open Letter to Our Readers:

Whether we’re hunkering down at home or courageously manning the front lines to provide essential services, all of us are navigating uncharted waters. At this challenging time, it’s important to take a break from the news headlines and try to find ways to relax and recharge, whether it’s pursuing a favorite indoor pastime, playing a board game with the kids, cooking together as a family, or binge-watching movies.

As always, we hope you will find in the pages of Seasons some interesting and beautifully illustrated stories to read, enjoy and share – stories that will, perhaps, introduce you to some fascinating people and places, and take your mind off “all things coronavirus” for a while.

In the midst of this unexpected crisis, we’d also like to encourage you to remember those who may be struggling and in need of assistance, whether it’s friends and neighbors or the small business owners in our community.

While everyone is affected by the pandemic to varying degrees, local businesses – restaurants, bars, nail salons, hairstylists, toy stores, hardware stores, and more – rely on in-person foot traffic and online sales to survive, and to feed their families. Many of these businesses, owned by our neighbors and friends, don’t have the cash reserves to sustain themselves indefinitely during times like these, and they may be forced to close permanently unless we do something to help them.

So what can we do?

Here are just a few ideas:

• If their doors are still open, try to “shop local” whenever you can
• If their doors are closed but they have a website, order from them online
• Order take-out from restaurants
• Buy memberships to performance or music venues
• Buy gift cards to use in the future
• Pay your stylist or aesthetician for a future haircut or mani-pedi – and include a generous tip
• Reschedule events instead of asking for a refund
• Recommend them to friends, or give them a shoutout on social media
• Hire local people to do landscaping, yard clean-ups and exterior home maintenance, or to design and plant a garden for you
• Think of other ways you can help small business owners; do you have a talent – or some extra supplies – you can share with them?
• Once stores, restaurants and service providers re-open, patronize them as often as you can

As a local business ourselves, we understand all too well what a vital role all of us play in helping local owners survive and thrive so that they can, in turn, provide us with the goods and services we value.

Seasons Magazines has been blessed to have been supported not only by our readers, but by the local business owners who advertise in our pages. And as we mark our 15th year, we want to express our gratitude to all of you. It is a privilege to call you neighbors.

Thank you so much for your kindness and your generosity of spirit – and for continuing to keep our communities the vibrant, caring places we are all so lucky to call home.

Your Friends at Seasons Media