Letter: Moses Lake has weathered crises before, and we can do it again

It was almost 40 years ago that the citizens of Washington, Grant County and Moses Lake went through a traumatic time. Yes, Mt. St. Helens blew her top and deposited tons of ash on us. Now we are all experiencing an even more traumatic time. Back in 1980, we wore face masks, had special air filters and stayed in our houses. We didn’t have to do those things, but some of us did. Schools were closed for the remainder of the school year. The kids didn’t have to go but teachers did. I was teaching at MLHS at the time. We had no computers, laptops, or iPads. For that reason, we couldn’t get any assignments to our students. Needless to say, after about a week of cleaning our rooms, doing grades and getting ready for the next school year, it was boring. Yes students, teachers know what boring means. We recovered from all of that and life went on.

Now people throughout the world are facing a much more traumatic situation.

We have to stay at home, there’s no toilet paper, hand sanitizer is in short supply, the local Safeway has empty shelves and the kids don’t have to go to school. Now is a bit different, they still have to do school work. My grandson, who goes to MLHS, showed us his Chromebook via FaceTime.

We made it through the ash, our parents made it through the depression, and we’ll make it through this pandemic.

To all of my classmates of 1965, I miss you guys and have a great 55th reunion. To my fellow faculty members of MLHS 1974 to 1982, I hope you are all well and enjoying retirement. To my former students and athletes, I hope you are all well and doing good.

George Harris

Peoria, Arizona