Great need will derive from this once-in-102-years-pandemic.

By Stacey Langal 

I’ve been thinking about the contents of this blog since March 12. At first, I planned to touch on Cleveland Indians Charities and our continued partnership to launch their next Giveathon this summer. With the start of the baseball season around the corner, CIC was going to be our March feature story on Fox 8. That day, I was told our interview would be postponed because Major League Baseball was following suit with other major sports and suspending the season until further notice. Since then, it’s been a cascade of closures and government recommendations and orders to mitigate our nemesis – COVID-19.

Here we are into April, and we’re still at home doing our collective best to maintain distance and normalcy at the same time. In all honesty, I delayed writing this piece because my thoughts, emotions, opinions and questions have been all over the place.

This whole pandemic, I’m sure for so many of you, has been tough to wrap my mind around. I find myself viewing our circumstances through both a professional and personal lens. I see and feel this situation through my roles at Kaulig Companies; as a parent of two teenagers; as a spouse of someone who works in the tumultuous steel industry; as one of four sisters who debate rigorously – about everything; as a daughter who has a father with a preexisting condition; as a political science student; as a Catholic.

I keep thinking of my freshman year at Allegheny College as well. I was in a psychology class, and the professor posed a question to us – “would you give up individual rights for the common good and safety of an entire society?” The hard truth is this situation is no longer hypothetical. It’s not a classroom. It’s not something from the past. It’s our reality at the moment.

It’s also reality that great need will derive from this once-in-102-years-pandemic. During the first week or two, the only information rolling in from non-profits seemed to be cancellations. Now, specific needs and requests directly resulting from COVID-19 and the consequent economic slowdown are heightening, and I reflect on and appreciate the immediate direction from Matt, Kaulig Companies Chairman, and Tim, Kaulig Companies CEO. It’s alright to pause for a moment. There will be great need in the coming weeks and months and important ways for us to be involved.

We will be here.