Today I ventured into Island Market for the first time in a week, and for the first time since the new restrictions. I was

delightfully surprised at what I experienced. I waited outside in a short line keeping distance from others for maybe five to six minutes.

When I was given the signal to enter, a young man handed me a sanitized cart and I washed my hands at the sink as required. The store was very sparsely populated — there was only one other person in the produce section, and except for one woman who dashed by me in an aisle, I did not encounter another person in any aisle as people were very carefully keeping distant from one another.

Kudos to the market who have done a great job to keep the market open while creating an environment where I felt very comfortable and to all the employees who have continued to come to work in one of the busiest places on the island. Being in the higher risk age group, this is particularly appreciated. As for the empty shelves and things I couldn’t get, being flexible and finding alternatives is, after all, good for the brain!

Janice Wiemeyer

Orcas Island