PLATTE COUNTY – While some parts of the country are in a total lock-down, Platte County residents are “still free to roam about the cabin.” Providing of course, the rules of social distancing and congregating in no groups over 10 are followed.

Still, with no social places open to frequent, the length of the coronavirus has made people feel alienated and at times at a loss for new things to do.

Bill and Kris Born, owners of Cheyenne Coffee Company in Wheatland may have found not only a new activity, but one that provides inner sanctity and a sense of accomplishment. They have taken it upon themselves to help beautify the community.

“We decided to take a walk outside,” Born said. “We got to looking at the roadsides and here was all kinds of garbage along the road. So, we decided to pick up 2 miles worth of garbage off the roads.”

In a time when the coronavirus has made the entire county come together to help one another, this is a different way of benefiting the community.

“All of us are social distancing and I see people walking along the country roads and around town here,” Born said. “I got to thinking, ‘well, why don’t people bring just even a small empty bag and a pair of gloves and start doing something for your community.”

The idea was to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. The combination of being outside for a change of scenery and cleaning up the scenery that you’re walking in just naturally appealed to the couple who opened a coffee brewing business out of their home in 2009. The couple does not have a store front, but the 11 different gourmet coffees they have are brought in green and roasted and then shipped from their home.

The coronavirus slowed their business down slightly, but showed them that they could benefit the community in another very special way.

“We were walking down Sybeille Road,” she said. “We picked up bottles, cans, pieces of metal… just garbage.”  

She advocates that people give this a try and adopt a stretch of road. She also cautions that gloves must be worn and care must be taken as there are the hazards of broken glass and sometimes sharp metal. She does say that the community should look outward toward helping each other during this time.

“One of the most important things that we should remember other than staying away from people is that we need to help our small businesses so that two months from now, they are still in business,” Born said. “Things like sending flowers to somebody, go through the drive-thru at Arby’s, go stop and get coffee. We need to support our local businesses.”

Everyone is in agreement that this storm will end, and that things that existed before it began must continue after it’s over. And in the meantime, look around at what can be done during this down time. A purpose is a great thing to lift one’s spirits.