Welcome A
s this magazine goes to print, we cannot help but reflect on the staggering year that just passed, one that changed so much about the way we live. It was a year that forced us apart, for our own health and safety, but also, arguably, brought us closer together as communities large and small had to work harder and more creatively to adapt and progress in the face of a harsh new reality.
Photo by Cat Scott
Sullivan County was not spared the loss of life, businesses, or jobs, but it did pull through in several positive ways that we should not overlook. Our smaller world right next to the “Big City” provided a haven for people and families looking to escape NYC when it was the covid “hotspot” of the country. Many weekenders changed their status to “full-time resident,” while other homebuyers discovered our towns for the first time, drawn by the assurance of peace, tranquility, and some fresh air to breathe. In March of 2020, there were over 2,000 homes on the market in Sullivan County. One year later, after bidding wars on nearly every property, only a bit more than 300 are still for sale. We experienced a very similar real estate boom after 9/11 for many of the same reasons. When life needs a slower pace, and when people seek salvation, they find here the beauty of our mountains, rivers, and lakes, the spacious land, open roads, fresh water, fresh air, and farm fresh foods. We are a place for recovery and discovery, where one can sit quietly with a book, or with pen and paper, a paint brush, or simply alone with their thoughts. And it is in these silences and slower moments when the creativity flows and the artists gift us with their music, their food, their drinks, and their crafts. You will read about them in the pages ahead as well as the new businesses, new residents, new ideas, and fresh energy that the past year has brought. We have much to be thankful for. Vaccines will soon be in every arm making it safer and easier for people to gather, go to dinner, take in a movie, and celebrate life. Parades will make their way down our Main Streets again. But if we learned anything from the past year, it is that we cannot take these things for granted. We must make sure we protect the natural world around us so that this vital sanctuary continues to provide not only for us, but for those who may one day need it.
Lauren Seikaly Jeffersonville Journal ‑ 2
