Boy, it was nice chatting to Garry 'Wilba' Wilbraham the other day. He's the secretary manager of the Bomaderry Bowling Club and one of the most cheerful blokes you'll meet.
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His standard answer whenever you ask how he is: "Never seen it brighter." But when we spoke on Wednesday, you could tell things could, well, be a little brighter for him and the team at the Bomo Bowlo.
He wasn't glum (does he even know how to be?) but made the point that patronage at the club has not yet met expectations.
The club thought it would be overrun when it reopened on June 1, with a strict 150 person cap. When we spoke, it had not yet met that limit.
And as far as he could tell, other venues felt the same way. Customers still seem a little wary about stepping out and spending their money on food and beverage.
That's odd because retail outlets like Bunnings appear to be doing a roaring trade. One wonders whether the COVID-inspired DIY movement has moved out of the garage and into the kitchen. Coronavirus hasn't deterred the hardware shoppers, as far as I can tell.
And it shouldn't deter club goers either, given the effort being put into making venues safe.
As restrictions are loosened week by week, we owe it to our communities to help get the local economy back on its feet.
Yes, we shouldn't let our guard down. Maintaining social distancing and hand hygiene is just as important now as it was at the start of the pandemic.
But it really is time to get out from under the doona. That means going to your local cafe or club and indulging in a coffee or a meal. It means stocking up on your hobby needs from the local bead shop, buying that local birthday gift (it was Wilba's birthday on Wednesday) from that store in town rather than online. It means backing the people in our own community.
Many of you have through the pandemic backed us here at the Register by signing up to digital subscriptions and for that I want to thank you. By doing so, you're helping keep a team of great people employed so we can do our job, which is to bring you local news.
As life returns to some kind of normal, we urge all of you to do what you can to support local businesses. As a community, you've never held back in times of need.
So head to the bowlo, grab a meal, say g'day to Wilba and help get the show back on the road.
