Clifford Ekis and Tom Kingdom fill bottle with spray hand sanitizer Saturday in front of The Grumpy Goat where the distillery was giving it away for free to members of the public. The Franklin, Pennsylvania family run business has been providing local first responders with the product for several weeks now.
A miserable personality who wanted no friends and saw little beauty in life is the main character in Brett Helquist's children's book, Grumpy Goat. It was this one lone flower, a dandelion, on a hillside that caught the critter by surprise and suddenly an epiphany came over him. He suddenly saw beauty all around.
In Franklin, The Grumpy Goat Distillery owners didn't need such an epiphany moment to know the beauty of life - it's their community.
When the governor shut down businesses, the "Goats' owners, Tom and Kim Kingdom, found a way that they could help. They turned their hooch making operation into a hand sanitizer producer in order to provide World Health Organization standard product to those in need.
In Franklin, The Grumpy Goat Distillery owners didn't need such an epiphany moment to know the beauty of life - it's their community.
When the governor shut down businesses, the "Goats' owners, Tom and Kim Kingdom, found a way that they could help. They turned their hooch making operation into a hand sanitizer producer in order to provide World Health Organization standard product to those in need.
Tom Kingdom delivers a freshly filled up bottle of hand sanitizer to a vehicle in the curbside pick-up zone in front of their Liberty Street, Franklin business.
"The [commercial grade sanitizer] will get the virus drunk, our stuff will kill it." said Tom Kingdom with a chuckle. Standard hand sanitizers are 60% alcohol based. The Grumpy Goat uses the WHO recipe that calls for 80% alcohol. For the past few weeks, they have been making it by the several hundred gallons and distributing it to local first responders and trucking companies, said Kingdom.
He and his family spent several hours on Saturday in front of their Liberty Street location offering up their product to anyone who wanted it.
Free of charge.
They aren't interested in getting into the hand sanitizer market, but were looking for a way to help during a stressful time when store shelves are often empty of the essential product. They took advantage of a temporary change in the rules that allowed them to make hand sanitizer during the pandemic. "We're the only ones that can legally do it," Kingdom said about the local area. During this shut down they have been making several hundred gallons.
A steady flow of customers took advantage of the give-a-way Saturday in Franklin.
Since the owners have day jobs, Kim Kingdom said the shutdown hasn't affected them as much as other businesses in the area. The fact that the liquor stores were down and they could offer curb-side pick up, they had some income.
They have actually sold out of most of their stock.
Before this shutdown they only operated two stills. They have since up-graded and will have four stills operating, but they said two will still be dedicated for hand sanitizer until there isn't a need.
"This is just awesome what you're doing," said Venango County commissioner Mike Dulaney, who stopped Saturday to say hello and thank the Kingdoms.
So far the expense has been out of pocket for the business, but Kim Kingdom said they and the Chamber of Commerse are trying to obtain grants to help so they can keep giving to local first responders and more.
The business said they won't be making this a product in the future, but for now they are not grumpy at all, rather quite happy to be able to help their community.
NOTE: Coming later today
The story about Rynd Farm's efforts to deal with this COVID-19 crisis will be posted later today separate from this post. A slight technical glitch has made us postpone this story a little while past deadline. So please check back for more.
Grove seniors are not forgotten
Contributed photos |
On Wednesday a group of Valley Grove teachers and administrators set out on a journey to make sure their senior class at Rocky Grove High School knew they were not forgotten in this Coronovirus world.
Principal Kelly Hart and staff logged a pretty long day driving through the backroads of their district stopping at home after home to plant a sign of pride in each seniors yard. In a letter sent earlier to seniors, the students were informed that graduation plans are still being hashed out. "We don’t want to make any major decisions too early while everything is still uncertain because we are hoping to be able to give the students the entire graduation experience they deserve." Hart said. The district partnered with Village Auto to have the Rocky Grove High School 2020 Senior signs made and kept the mission a secret prior to posting them in the front yards of the students. "I love the sign" said George Walters, "It really helps make the whole situation a little bit brighter." The army recruit said he has talked to a few of his classmates who agree the signs have made them feel better about their senior year. "We have to miss so much that we won't be able to get back, so it makes this a little bit easier and let's us know that the school is still thinking about us," he said. It’s just what Hart and the rest of the RGHS staff were hoping the seniors felt. "We wanted to do something to recognize our RG students since their senior year has not turned out the way anyone would’ve hoped," she said. |
Putting my money where my talent-less mouth is
A few weeks ago I wrote a little piece about what artists were doing to provide entertainment and fun for their audiences during COVID-19 shutdowns. One of those I featured was the Barrow-Civic Theatre's new YouTube page with local thespians sharing short monologues.
When I communicated with the theater director Zach Covington I suggested having some fun making my own monologue. I'm not sure if I really meant it when I said it, but I decided, despite only ever having one line in one play in my entire life, I'd give it a shot.
Unfortunately the audio is wonky on my phone, but I thought I'd share it you all anyway and implore you to check out the fun local talent at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrB5crdoB2QLqoNKaI0QRaQ
Support these young people and this treasure of a theater.
And have some fun making your own monologue and submit it to them.
Maybe I'll start a fundraiser.... if we raise $1,000 for the theater I'll promise to take this video down and never do it again. If we raise $5,000 I'll keep it up and do another one!
Send your checks to the
Barrow-Civic Theatre,
1223 Liberty StreetPO Box 1089
Franklin, PA 16323
And just say, for the love of God make Sayer STOP/DO more videos!
They could use the help right now.
And have some fun making your own monologue and submit it to them.
Maybe I'll start a fundraiser.... if we raise $1,000 for the theater I'll promise to take this video down and never do it again. If we raise $5,000 I'll keep it up and do another one!
Send your checks to the
Barrow-Civic Theatre,
1223 Liberty StreetPO Box 1089
Franklin, PA 16323
And just say, for the love of God make Sayer STOP/DO more videos!
They could use the help right now.
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