EDITORIAL: Attitude of gratitude

The Joplin Globe, Mo.
·2 min read

Apr. 11—Looking for reasons to be thankful?

There's no shortage.

Let's start with the fact that it is springtime in the Ozarks. Redbud are popping and dogwoods have begun blooming, and with that Neosho's dogwood tours have resumed. Maps and information related to the dogwood tours are available at neoshocc.com and from the Neosho Area Chamber of Commerce, 417-451-1925. Other spring bloomers that add a lot of color to the woods include serviceberry and wild plum.

It's always a thrill to see the Ozarks waking up, and this spring — emerging ourselves from the pandemic — seems particularly vivid.

Vaccinations

We're also grateful that U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt made a stop last week, toured a vaccination clinic in Joplin and encouraged everyone to continue getting the vaccine. It's an important message now that the vaccines are widely available. (On Friday, they opened in Missouri to everyone age 16 and older.)

"The idea that a year ago we would have a vaccine within the (pandemic's) first year is almost unbelievable — two years would have been a record, and three years would have been normal," Blunt said. "And of course, right now, if we were still looking at another couple of years before we would be getting the vaccine — and the pandemic continued to surround us — imagine the problems we would be facing."

On a single day last week — Saturday, April 3 — more than 4 million Americans were vaccinated. As of Saturday, nearly 115 million Americans have received at least one dose.

With increasing vaccination rates, things can perhaps start a return to normal — and a sign of the return of traditional events is the return of Third Thursday. The monthly street carnival in downtown Joplin is back this week after being postponed for a year by the pandemic. The first Third Thursday event since 2019 will be held on Thursday in downtown Joplin.

But despite the rate of vaccinations, the pandemic is not over yet. Measures will be in place to ensure people can spread out as much as possible. There will be no performances at this event, and food trucks and booths will be limited and widely spaced to reduce lines and crowds.

Expansion

Crystal Bridges Museum of Art last week announced a major expansion, adding 100,000 square feet to showcase its world-class art collection that is an easy drive from Joplin. Since opening in 2011, Crystal Bridges has doubled its collection, adding works by major artists such as Dale Chihuly, Georgia O'Keefe and before that Thomas Hart Benton.

Joplin resident Sharon Beshore (who also serves as president of the Missouri Arts Council) spoke for a lot of area residents when she told us that the museum's "location and their welcoming, comfortable atmosphere have created tremendous accessibility for our residents and children in Joplin so they can experience great art, both new and classic art, only an hour away."