Life in the pandemic has been nothing like business as usual!
Like others I have grown accustomed to a life unlike anything I have ever experienced in my lifetime. First, on the personal side:
I have spent more time in my backyard than I ever have before. Enjoying the slowing down as I am often on the run.
I am spending quality time with my wife, Lene, who is usually on the road three times a week flying for United Airlines.
I am cooking some of my fav dishes, like Italian sausage and peppers and have become an amateur bartender whipping up mint julips and piña coladas!
Great to be playing golf with my buddies on the weekends and enjoying our fellowship and routine!
On a more challenging note,
My brother Danny who lives in my hometown in NYC came down with Covid 19 and has been hospitalized for the past three weeks at Columbia Presbyterian in Manhattan. He was initially in critical condition and fortunately has been stable this past week and progressing nicely. Nothing hits home like having someone close to you contract the pandemic virus. You are helpless and cannot visit him.
We get daily progress reports from his wife Evelyn. He continues to battle every day. I am hoping he recovers enough to be released, but I don’t think it will be that simple. I am grateful everyday that he is alive and will continue to pray for a full recovery. Got to be patient!
On the professional side, I cannot be prouder of our college community!
– We mobilized almost immediately and ramped up quickly
– Distributed more than 400 laptops to students and over 150 laptops to employees
– Established a drive-thru food pantry for our food insecure students
– Raised more than $400,000 from our SRJC Foundation to support students
– Successfully transitioned Over 2,500 sections to remote
– Successfully transitioned all student services and business services to remote
– Helped establish a testing center at our Petaluma campus for community COVID-19 testing.
Not perfect but pretty impressive!
No college has gone through fires, smoke, floods, power shut offs and now a pandemic! SRJC is resilient and #SRJCSTRONG
Congratulations to our entire community for supporting one another! Proud to be part of the SRJC!
Go Bear Cubs!
Tough times don’t last; tough people do!
