The following is a letter to the editor –
September 27, 2020
I was so happy to see the number of Crookston businesses poised to receive CARES act funding, what an important lifeline for so many in our community. I hope this funding will help these valuable members of our business community survive, recover and thrive in the future. I was also glad to see the United Way, an organization that helps so many others provide crucial help to those in need as a recipient. However, I was surprised at the number of businesses NOT on the list and I wonder if they were unaware or simply unable to navigate what must have been a complex process to apply for these funds.
I read that a second wave of funding may be available and hope that businesses like Hair Connexion, Shear Sisters, Montagues and China Moon will be able to benefit from that aid. On that note, someone to help them navigate this process might be in order. As the city is the distributor of those funds, I don’t know if they can really help or if they have the manpower to do so, but perhaps the Chamber would step up and help its members with this process. What a wonderful service they could provide and incredible support for the local business community since they can’t do all the in person events the Chamber normally does. I imagine with the boost in funding the Chamber received with all the rest of the businesses on the published list, they’d be well positioned to think of some way to help the rest of our local business owners to benefit in the same way. It’s so great the Chamber already knows the process and how to cross the Ts and dot the Is in what I imagine is somewhat complex and perhaps time-consuming process. This is a wonderful opportunity for the Chamber and all our local businesses to work hand in hand to ensure everyone’s survival.
Elizabeth Summers Boucher
Crookston, MN
