Voices from the Front Lines

Voices from the Front Lines

Essential workers. While they have always been the backbone of communities, COVID-19 has thrust these often anonymous workers into the front lines to provide care and services so we can remain safe. In many cases, these essential workers risk their lives as we are shuttered at home. They have become faceless heroes we rely upon, and Marketplace has chosen three to recognize—along with one restaurant forging its own path.

Brianna Bennicoff
EMT, Macungie Ambulance Station

Brianna Bennicoff isn’t your average girl. She is basically an action hero who works fearlessly as an emergency medical technician (EMT) and volunteers as a firefighter with Station 37—West Catasauqua Fire Company in Whitehall Township.

MARKETPLACE: WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE TO BE AN ESSENTIAL WORKER
NOW COMPARED TO BEFORE THE CRISIS?
BB: I feel that the public has a greater understanding for the potential dangers health care workers face every single day. We never know when we are going to come across the next big virus or pandemic, just as this one has occurred. But we lace up our boots and go to work every day with a smile, ready for whatever we may face that day.

WHAT HAS YOUR BIGGEST STRUGGLE BEEN DURING THIS CRISIS?
BB: My biggest struggle during the pandemic comes down to a personal want, and perhaps a selfish one, some may say. I miss seeing my friends and family and being out doing fun things on my days off. My friends and family are my biggest stress relievers, so to not have the normal interactions we usually do has been an increase in stress for me.

HAVE YOU LEARNED ANY LESSONS FROM THE EXPERIENCE AS AN ESSENTIAL WORKER?
BB: I have learned to make the most of each day and make it count. You never know when you’ll be ripped away from your normal day-to-day life and thrown into something new. I know I am where I am meant to be. Being able to serve my community is a great honor.

MACUNGIE AMBULANCE CORP
5550 N. WALNUT ST.
MACUNGIE
MACAMB.ORG


Karen Widric
EDGE Restaurant, Owner/Partner

The owners of Edge Restaurant really took the meaning of community to a new level by delivering 100 meals to a local hospital and families since April 1st. Karen Widrick and her husband, Chef Tim Widrick, have been cooking and delivering meals as their response to helping during the crisis.

HOW DID EDGE RESTAURANT BECOME SO ACTIVE IN HELPING THE COMMUNITY DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS?
KW: Edge started donating meals to St. Luke’s Hospital Fountain Hill on April 1st. Then on April 15th we started donating to families of Bethlehem Area School District. We’ve done 100 family-of-4 meals. An example of a family meal would be baked meatball ziti, salad and rolls. Hospitals receive lemon basil chicken, potato gratin, salad, and apple tarts.

ARE YOU SUPPLYING ALL OF THE FOOD, OR IS IT BEING DONATED BY
GENEROUS FOLKS OR BUSINESSES?
KW: We started off by supplying all the food. But since we are only doing about 20% of our normal business, we knew that wouldn’t be sustainable long-term. We really knew this was something that was of great help, so we wanted to think of a way to keep it going. This encouraged us to reach out to the community and give an outlet for people who wanted to do something to help their neighbors and just needed a channel to do so. We set up a donation link on our website at edgerestaurant.net to help us with the cost of the food. We will be donating until June 3rd, and then we will re-evaluate with state regulations and assisting summer school needs.

WHAT HAS YOUR BIGGEST STRUGGLE BEEN DURING THIS CRISIS?
KW: Our biggest concern at first was how this was going to affect our employees. Normally we employ between 40-45 people. Conversations about lay-offs and not knowing what the future held were especially tough. Our staff is like our family. As time went on and we were able to open in a modified way, the next biggest struggle was to learn a new business. Takeout wasn’t in our normal daily activity. When we were told to close our doors and takeout was only thing we could offer, we had to learn and adapted to keep our business from failing. We still take it day by day, but have navigated successfully so far.

EDGE RESTAURANT
74 W. BROAD ST., #5738
BETHLEHEM
610.814.0100
EDGERESTAURANT.NET


Anmar Chaleby
Delivery Driver for Uber Eats, and Set-Up Machine Manager at Polymer Contours

Anmar Chaleby works full-time as a Set-Up Machine Manager at Polymer Contours and is very busy as a delivery driver for Uber Eats.

WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE TO BE AN ESSENTIAL WORKER NOW COMPARED TO BEFORE THE CRISIS?
AC: As an Uber Eats driver, I feel like I have more purpose now than before the crisis. I feel like I’m keeping people safe by keeping them at home and leaving food at their door and then they thank me from a safe distance.

WHAT HAS YOUR BIGGEST STRUGGLE BEEN DURING THIS CRISIS?
AC: Not reading facial expressions because of the masks is hard for people. They don’t see me smile at them. Streets are empty, so driving is not a problem. Waiting in line is definitely challenging. I was waiting three hours for an order at a local chain restaurant to deliver to a customer. The customer was very nice when the food got to her, and she gave me a very good tip.

HAVE YOU LEARNED ANY LESSONS FROM THE EXPERIENCE AS AN ESSENTIAL WORKER?
AC: Yes. It’s how civilization is fragile. One small virus can really set us back. I have hope as a human race that we can find a way around it and find a vaccine. It’s like earth is testing us.
UBEREATS.COM

PushSafe is the hygienic, safe answer to pressing elevator buttons without spreading germs. The single-use hygienic push pins are made of anti-microbial materials which are naturally germ resistant. The pins are recyclable and made in the USA.

Tyson Daniels, president & CEO of Polymer Contours which manufactures PushSafe says, “We are hoping to help the public feel safer throughout this crisis with the PushSafe product.”

PushSafe became ready for sale in early June 2020, and Daniels already has orders from hospitals, malls, and apartment complexes. While this originally started as a response to COVID-19, the hygienic nature will prove product durability.

PUSHSAFE POLYMER CONTOURS
905 HARRISON ST.
ALLENTOWN
PUSHSAFE.CO


Jake Thomson
Owner, Thomson’s Meat Market

Jake Thomson has been serving up fresh cuts of meats for folks at his Walnutport shop since 1982. If you haven’t heard of Thomson’s Meat Market, it’s quite possibly because it is one of best kept secrets in the sleepy town. Known for the freshest meats and best prices around, Thomson’s sells out quickly of the Facebook advertised specials—and folks are used to taking a number at the counter and waiting in line.

WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE TO BE AN ESSENTIAL WORKER NOW COMPARED TO BEFORE THE CRISIS?
JT: So busy. It’s like before a snowstorm and people rush to buy food, but it’s been like this for more than two months. People are buying anything that isn’t nailed down. Customers are panic buying. Before we were busy because we are a busy store, but now we have people coming from all over…even an hour away.

WHAT HAS YOUR BIGGEST STRUGGLE BEEN DURING THIS CRISIS?
JT: Trying to keep supplies on shelves, getting food in, having it in stock, and now the beef market is price gouging, so my prices have gone up because I am being charged so much more for beef. I’m really not raising my prices to take advantage of unemployed customers.

HAVE YOU LEARNED ANY LESSONS FROM THE EXPERIENCE AS AN ESSENTIAL WORKER?
JT: I feel people really take a lot of us for granted. They think when we run out of steak it can magically appear. They seem to think it should be here without understanding the process of ordering and shortages. It was like this to some extent before, but now it’s more extreme. Thankfully, most regular customers understand.

THOMSON’S MEAT MARKETS
430 WASHINGTON ST.
WALNUTPORT
610.767.4592
FIND THEM ON FACEBOOK

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