Loud noises on Friday nights could be the norm for the foreseeable future.
"This Friday between 6 and 6:30 p.m. we're encouraging people to go out on their front step or front yard and make as much noise as they can," said Emily Bivens, executive director of the Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce. "For those who don't live right in Jamestown, you can hop in your car and go drive by an essential business and honk your horn, blast your radio or whatever you want to do to show your appreciation for all those who are working hard."
The chamber will be debuting a citywide promotion called Friday Night Noise on Friday, April 24. The campaign will target health care workers, grocery store employees, gas station attendants, delivery drivers and others who are unable to work from home in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
"There are quite a few other communities in North Dakota and nationwide that are doing something like this as far as making noise in appreciation of our frontline workers," Bivens said. "So we decided to recreate that here in Jamestown and we have this Friday Night Noise that we came up with and that is what we are going with."
As of April 22, there have been 644 reported cases of the coronavirus in the state of North Dakota - a significant jump from last week's 439 cases. There have been three positive cases of COVID-19 in Stutsman County and across the state 13 have succumbed to the virus. Bivens said a cause for celebration is needed by the community in the face of bleak circumstances.
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"So far (the response) has been very positive," Bivens said of the campaign. "I think that people are grateful to have the opportunity to thank those that are on the front lines and show their appreciation. We just hope that it promotes more community and it's a good way for us to have a sense of comradery but not be right next to each other and still practice social distancing."
A determined timeline for the promotion has not been released by the chamber at this time.
"We're testing it out, seeing how it goes, hoping that it builds and we're hoping to do it every Friday as long as these times continue. It's a thank you, a celebration to show appreciation for those frontline workers," Bivens said. "It's on our Facebook page (and) it's on https://jamestowncalendar.com/ .
