One year in a state of emergency: Worcester officials, clergy reflect on pandemic s toll
WORCESTER There was a time when it was possible for the average resident to not know anyone who died from, or even came down with, the COVID-19 virus.
Not anymore. Few of us remain who don t know someone who simply had to isolate for a few weeks with mild symptoms, or someone who spent time in the hospital, or someone who had it with no symptoms at all. Or someone who died. A grandparent. A cousin. An in-law.
As the enormity of the situation started to crystalize in March 2020 and more and more cases starting popping up in Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency effective Wednesday, March 11.
Net of Compassion marks 10 years of growth, service
WORCESTER Pastor Richie Gonzalez couldn t help stepping outside himself and chuckling during a recent interview.
He spoke with a certain level of incredulity that in his role as founder and director of Net of Compassion, he had participated in an event with Worcester County Sheriff Lewis Evangelidis.
Gonzalez was quick to point out he served time in jail before Evangelidis tenure. And he was quicker to point out with a bit of a laugh that an attempted escape from said jail was also before the sheriff took over.
But there he was, years later, shaking hands with the sheriff, accepting a donation of jackets for the human services organization. Gonzalez said he never would have imagined 10 years ago he would go from prison and the throes of addiction to running a 24-hour homeless shelter and working closely with the city. But he also talked about how his life is part of a plan that was laid out in visions he said he