3 Our Pandemic Response – Jeff Davis
Jeff Davis, Regional Director Benton County, shared his family’s approach to the pandemic:
Diane and I grew up with traditions of community service and this past year, the gene really kicked in. We re-engaged with community-based organizations we’ve been a part of over the years (CARDV, NAACP, Corvallis Environmental Center, PFLAG, others) and sought out ways to lend a hand to others in need. We cultivated a COVID garden at the Starker Arts Garden for Education, growing produce for family and friends who weren’t comfortable moving safely through public spaces. We wrote grants for wildfire relief (all of them funded) and volunteered at the Linn and Benton County shelters. When possible to do so safely, we marched for a series of social justice issues including Black Lives Matter, against hate crimes, and the USPS for fair elections. When it came time for the vaccine roll-out, we took leave time from work to help at the distribution site at Reser Stadium. Throughout it all, this was our pandemic mantra: the best remedy for despair is action.