Hi Mtm friends.

Wanted you to know that we will be hanging out this Thursday evening (tomorrow), the 8th of October, 645-800pm at McAllister rec center (in the grassy area opposite the center).

There will be no child care - but there is a fun playground for the kids and we will sit in view of it.

We will be meeting socially distanced - bring a chair (and maybe a blanket, depending on the weather) - it looks like it's supposed to be really nice!!!

More than more is a safe space for us during this crazy pandemic time - we enjoy each other, we laugh, connect and care, and attempt to notice something More than the everyday world we live in.

As we enter into the normal time of the year for colds and coughs and infections we have some guidance for you:

1) If you or your child is sick or has been sick in the past 14days, please don't come.  Understand that especially in children COVID can be barely symptomatic and yet still infectious.  We don't want to put our friends in the difficult position of having to choose "on the spot" whether to risk being rude to us and leave or stay and be super uncomfortable w exposure to COVID.  We know it's lame because it may just be allergies and we know it's hard to tell (Jason has mucus year round w allergies and asthma), but please respect the other people at Mtm.

2) Everyone seems to have different comfort levels w COVID - I have seen people that I would have thought would have been super careful, who don't believe it is even real - and people who I might have thought would be easy goin about it who are terrified of catching it.  When things like this occur, we must respect each other and go the extra mile to be respectful.  I can tell you, real people are dying of COVID and it is super sad for those around them, especially those who have given it to them.

3) We are not going to check temperatures or ask questionnaires for you to be a part, we are choosing to trust each other - but if you have the symptoms of COVID or have in the past 14d, please don't come.  

4) Understand that 1 negative COVID test does not mean you don't have COVID, especially in kids there are often false negatives and so we ask that you follow the guidelines above regardless of testing and keep in mind that even if your child is COVID negative and has a bad cold and gives it to other peoples' kids at Mtm because you bring them, those other people may be facing testing and quarantine that they may not be able to afford.  Their children may have to be out of school and they may have to miss work and pay. 

5)We understand that this is going to affect who can come to Mtm and that, in general, people are going to spend a lot more time at home between Oct and April, because kids get colds and we understand that this whole thing has stretched us beyond what we could have imagined.  But also hear that we are not abandoning you - we want to zoom w you individually, facetime and help each other - support each other - in ways that can keep us healthy.  Let us know if you are struggling, if you are sad, if you are frustrated, if you need someone to talk to - let's support each other through this and be creative in the ways we do it.