Photo gallery: We’re all in this together
News Photo by Darby Hinkley This family on 4th Avenue in Alpena has decorated its windows with rainbow hearts to represent all the sectors of essential workers. Pictured from left to right are Joe Case, Ann Case holding 3-month-old Brooklyn Case, Birthday Boy Blaike Blaski, who turns 9 today, and 11-year-old Jonny Blaski. Ann Case said she and her sons cut out each heart and put them in the window last Friday. “It’s just to thank everybody that’s an essential worker,” she said, adding that she found the design online. “We did three houses,” Jonny Blaski added, explaining that they decorated two of his grandmas’ houses, as well. Case said the bright colors are meant to brighten people’s day and “just make sure everybody stays happy.”
News Photo by Crystal Nelson Tiffany Tessmer, 15, of Alpena, on Thursday shows off the artwork in the window of her Ralph Avenue home. Her artwork was inspired by Rainbows Over Michigan, an online art movement meant to spread hope and positivity while people are sheltering in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Tessmer said her mom saw information about Rainbows Over Michigan online and thought it would be a neat way to spread positivity and asked her to decorate the window as a day project. Tessmer said she likes to paint and that the project only took a few hours. Tessmer is a freshman at Alpena High School.
News Photo by Meakalia Previch-Liu Mandy Mustachia poses in the doorway of her home in Alpena on Thursday, next to windows decorated with colorful paper hearts to brighten her neighbors’ day, with a simple message of “thank you” featured on one piece of paper taped up among the rainbow colored-hearts. “I did this so people know you’re not alone. We’re in this together. It’s the simple things,” she said.
News Photo by Julie Riddle In the decorated front window of his Ripley Boulevard home, a pajama-clad boy dances with gusto on a rainy Tuesday afternoon, joyful proof that, even in the midst of a pandemic, “life is beautiful.”
News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Kolby Ross, left, and Brantly Ross show off the window art they made to remind people that everyone is in the fight together against COVID-19. Their mother, Casey, said the project helped break up some of he boredom from being indoors for so long and that her sons were proud of their work when it was completed.
News Photo by Darby Hinkley This family on 4th Avenue in Alpena has decorated its windows with rainbow hearts to represent all the sectors of essential workers. Pictured from left to right are Joe Case, Ann Case holding 3-month-old Brooklyn Case, Birthday Boy Blaike Blaski, who turns 9 today, and 11-year-old Jonny Blaski. Ann Case said she and her sons cut out each heart and put them in the window last Friday. “It’s just to thank everybody that’s an essential worker,” she said, adding that she found the design online. “We did three houses,” Jonny Blaski added, explaining that they decorated two of his grandmas’ houses, as well. Case said the bright colors are meant to brighten people’s day and “just make sure everybody stays happy.”
News Photo by Crystal Nelson Tiffany Tessmer, 15, of Alpena, on Thursday shows off the artwork in the window of her Ralph Avenue home. Her artwork was inspired by Rainbows Over Michigan, an online art movement meant to spread hope and positivity while people are sheltering in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Tessmer said her mom saw information about Rainbows Over Michigan online and thought it would be a neat way to spread positivity and asked her to decorate the window as a day project. Tessmer said she likes to paint and that the project only took a few hours. Tessmer is a freshman at Alpena High School.
News Photo by Meakalia Previch-Liu Mandy Mustachia poses in the doorway of her home in Alpena on Thursday, next to windows decorated with colorful paper hearts to brighten her neighbors’ day, with a simple message of “thank you” featured on one piece of paper taped up among the rainbow colored-hearts. “I did this so people know you’re not alone. We’re in this together. It’s the simple things,” she said.
News Photo by Julie Riddle In the decorated front window of his Ripley Boulevard home, a pajama-clad boy dances with gusto on a rainy Tuesday afternoon, joyful proof that, even in the midst of a pandemic, “life is beautiful.”
News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Kolby Ross, left, and Brantly Ross show off the window art they made to remind people that everyone is in the fight together against COVID-19. Their mother, Casey, said the project helped break up some of he boredom from being indoors for so long and that her sons were proud of their work when it was completed.
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Dear readers --
With the whole of the sports world on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic, and because we know encouraging stories seem in short supply right now, The News has decided to dedicate this page every Saturday to stories of hope and inspiration.
We will continue to carry national sports news (and local sports news, when available) on 2B every Saturday, but the front page of the Saturday B Section will now and until the end of the pandemic carry stories of hope and encouragement.
Sports will still lead the B Section every weekday.
Today, you'll find photos of Northeast Michigan residents who've decorated their homes to offer inspiration and show love to their neighbors, especially those working in the health care field.
Moving forward, you'll find profiles and photos of local essential workers showing up to their jobs every day to keep the world running, plus Associated Press stories and photos of the human spirit on full display around world.
The world will reopen. Bats will again crack on summer nights and linebackers will again sweat on chilly autumn evenings.
Sports will return.
Until then, we hope you'll enjoy these stories of hope and heart.
-- The Alpena News