Apr 08, 2020

🎥 Neighborhood party supports local business while 'staying-at-home'

Posted Apr 08, 2020 7:20 PM
Melissa, Camber, Ben and Roger Boland have dinner on the driveway where they can see and talk — or yell — to their neighbors.
Melissa, Camber, Ben and Roger Boland have dinner on the driveway where they can see and talk — or yell — to their neighbors.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

"It's just good to see people."

Camber Boland and her family were enjoying their dinner on their driveway last Wednesday evening where they could see and talk at a safe distance with most of their neighbors who live in the West 43rd Street cul-de-sac in Hays.

The families were eating food prepared and delivered by Paisley Pear Wine Bar, Bistro and Market — a popular downtown Hays eatery that has dramatically changed how it serves customers due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

The block supper was organized by Krista Brooks, a reading teacher at Roosevelt and O'Loughlin Elementary schools, which are closed along with the rest of Hays USD 489 classrooms.

"We heard about it in Kansas City and several of us put together a flier and left it on everyone's porches," Brooks said.

The Brooks and other families in the West 43rd cul-de-sac enjoy a neighborhood block party April 1 after ordering delivery from the downtown Paisley Pear.
The Brooks and other families in the West 43rd cul-de-sac enjoy a neighborhood block party April 1 after ordering delivery from the downtown Paisley Pear.

She and her husband, Matt, a teacher of world history and psychology at Hays High School, are friends with the Paisley Pear owners — Shaun and Heather Musil.  

"I knew we could work with Shaun and hopefully, if this takes off, we could do a different local business this week."

They also hope the idea will spread to other Hays neighborhoods.

"Even though we're doing this this one night, if it doesn't keep up  and the businesses don't have other people picking up on this, it won't be enough to sustain them during this time, or be enough to sustain them so that they could come back if they would have to close down for  awhile.  

"Most people eat out at times, so hopefully this is a way that is convenient for the businesses and the neighborhoods, in people not having to get out so much." 

The Patterson family enjoys bierocks ordered from Paisley Pear. They saved servings of cheesecake for dessert.
The Patterson family enjoys bierocks ordered from Paisley Pear. They saved servings of cheesecake for dessert.

The Brooks are ardent supporters of the downtown Hays business district.

One store told her "they've lost 75 percent of what they typically have come in. That's hard on small local businesses.

"This is a way the community can help them because so often they help us with local fundraisers and such." 

The Paisley Pear already delivers "but not in this mass, so we're learning," Shaun Musil said. They soon figured out one order had not been filled. 

He and Heather drove two vehicles down the cul-de-sac, loaded with bagged orders to deliver to the 10 participating homes. 

Shaun Musil, also the current Hays mayor, was quick to give Heather credit for the project.

"My wife did most of the work," he smiled. "We have more customers interested so I hope people are patient."

Most residents were outdoors eating on driveways or the sidewalk, and took the hand-off from the Musils. At least one elderly woman asked that her food order be left on her porch.

"I've been at home for three weeks," Betty told Matt Brooks from across the street, "going nowhere except walking around our cul-de-sac."

Checking in with the neighbors as well as socializing are important aspects of the block party.

"We have a couple older couples in our neighborhood," Krista noted. "And it's a good way for the kids to see each other and have a conversation."

Haleigh Spray, a senior at Thomas More Prep-Marian and a member of the girls' golf team, was eating with her family and their dogs.

The governor's decision to close public and private K-12 schools in Kansas and issue a stay-at-home executive order to help slow the virus spread, have completely upended Haleigh's final semester of high school.

TMP-M senior Haleigh Spray with her family and their dogs.
TMP-M senior Haleigh Spray with her family and their dogs.

"When we first heard about the news, it was really sad, kind of like heart-breaking," Haleigh acknowledged. But I've come to terms with it. Things happen."

Haleigh says she'll miss her not going on her senior trip and "a lot of those last final memories we were going to make. Stuff like that were going to make lifelong memories. 

"Since kindergarten through at least the first semester of my senior year, it's kind of been the same routine. You wake up, you go to school, you get home, you do your homework, you go to your sports, you go do your activities, and then you repeat.

"So," shrugged Haleigh, "it's kind of a wrench in the plans."