On Sunday, patriotic music students in Mystic, Connecticut decided to bless America from the socially distanced safety of their front porches. Because “music brings harmony,” organizer Jacqui Keller teamed up with her music teacher to encourage the town’s “togetherness even if we’re physically separated,” with a coordinated rendition of “America the Beautiful.”
A way to bless America with music
The small New England community of Mystic is only a stone’s throw from New York city, and on the fringes of one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks. That didn’t discourage them from finding a way to bless the town with music while being together separately. “Coronavirus prevents the gathering of music makers. Let’s make joyful music together this Sunday,” organizers challenged. They called it “Music Unifies Mystic.”
“Music brings harmony, we wanted to bring a togetherness even if we’re physically separated.” They announced the “stay at home music participation event” in the local bulletins, telling residents to be ready at the stroke of Noon to “stand in your doorway, front steps or porch and play on your musical instrument or sing ‘America the Beautiful’ first verse twice.”
The idea got started when music student Jacqui Keller mentioned to her instructor, June Ingram that learning to play an instrument by yourself is a challenge. “Playing alone is a very hard thing to do,” Ms. Keller insists. She removed the screen from her front door in preparation for her violin performance in the concert. That way she could remain inside yet still serenade the neighborhood.
Connecticut declared a disaster area
Only hours before the musical show of solidarity, the state’s governor declared the state “a major disaster area.” That clears the way for assistance from FEMA. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is standing by with “federal dollars for public assistance” so that communities like Mystic can “quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies.”
The decision also approves emergency measures which “must be performed to reduce or eliminate an immediate threat to life, protect public health and safety, and to protect improved property that is significantly threatened.”
Federal and State officials agree that there’s no need for a formal lockdown order but are putting travel advisories in place to urge the public not to travel in or out of the New York area if it can be avoided. Governor Ned Lamont also assured residents that he visited the Guilford biomedical company that’s producing 100 ventilators the state ordered and they’re “working seven days a week to keep up with demand.”
