Tuesday night, we had our Laurel Highlands Toastmasters meeting. I was all set to go to Connellsville when I got word of a last minute change. I received a text at 4:30 with the option to cancel or meet online. We chose the second one and met via Zoom. Even though the rain wasn’t quite as bad at home, just east of us in Somerset County they got a deluge. Flooding took place in Westernport, MD, near Cumberland, where an elementary school had to be evacuated and students and staff rescued. Meyersdale, just south of Somerset, was devastated by the flash flooding that came through on Tuesday. Some of our members in the Laurel Highlands Toastmasters club have been affected as well by these floods.
We began a little bit late as we were trying to fill roles in the agenda. Our theme was self-awareness and the word of the day was “state”. Toastmasters wear many hats and we had some of our members double and triple up. Hats off to Ryan for not only serving as Toastmaster, but also our General Evaluator and Timer. I almost felt a little bad because I was a speaker but could have filled at least one role. Everything worked out and we had a great meeting despite the small turnout.
My speech was a repeat of one I gave at Greensburg back in March about life at the onset of COVID. This time when I spoke, I switched up some of the things that you can still do during the pandemic that weren’t cancelled. This helped me get to know my audience better. I also explained how I handled things being home from work. The meeting ended a little earlier than usual, just after 7pm. Included in the announcements were a special end of year meeting at Bud Murphy’s on June 24. Hopefully, we’ll celebrate as a Presidents’ Distinguished club on that night. I also brought up Summer TLI which is scheduled for June 21 at WCCC, and I briefly hit on realignment in our District. Laurel Highlands is leaving my area and will be pared with Western Maryland, Johnstown, and Achievers in Area 23. The changes were made in the interests of geographical area.
Its important to be self-aware of the state of the drugstore chain, Rite Aid, and the impacts its closures will have on the rural communities that are closing stores and pharmacies this summer. Greensburg, for now, is safe as their stores will stay open and aren’t affected by this wave of closures. But the shelves aren’t full either and that too is an issue. For people in the rural Cambria County communities, it’s more concerning. Cresson is down to one pharmacy when Rite Aid closes theirs next week. Residents there and in Portage may have to travel to Ebensburg or Altoona for their medication. If Derry closes theirs, the town will be without a pharmacy and the closest one will be in Latrobe.
It’s only a matter of time before Rite Aid is an afterthought like Kmart and Sears. Joann Fabrics will be there soon. The pieces of my WIS history are going away little by little. I looked at the Rite Aids that were closing and told myself that I counted some of these stores, including the far north ones, once upon a time.
Stylish 🍒 