We need your help this Thanksgiving.
To the Residents of Our Region,
COVID-19 does not get the day off for Thanksgiving, and neither should our efforts to slow the spread of this deadly virus that is threatening our hospitals and endangering our families and friends.
From March through August, we fared better against the coronavirus than many other parts of the country. Enough of us were doing the things we have to do to fight the virus: wearing face coverings, avoiding large gatherings, practicing physical distancing and maintaining good hygiene. We saw the benefits of our individual and collective effort – our economy began to recover, our hospitals resumed services that were temporarily put on hold, and most importantly, fewer people were getting infected.

Stay home

Give others space

Wear a mask
But things have changed in the last several weeks. Now, with cold weather keeping us indoors and holiday gatherings offering easy excuses to let our guard down, we are losing the valuable ground we held against the coronavirus these past seven months.
This is about us. This is about our friends, family, neighbors, colleagues and others who call our region home. It’s up to each of us to keep our loved ones and others safe and healthy. It’s up to us to keep our businesses open and our kids in school.
In order to turn this around and keep moving forward safely, let’s use this time of Thanksgiving as an opportunity to identify everything and everyone who fills us with gratitude and do what it takes to protect them. Maintain your “bubble” during Thanksgiving. Wear a mask or face covering. Give others – even family – plenty of space, especially while eating. Let your family and friends outside your home know it’s OK to stay put this year.
Please commit to helping our region have a safe Thanksgiving. We can do it.
Help spread the word about what we need to do by sharing what you are doing to stay safe during the holidays by using #forwardsafelytogether and/or #besafewisconsin. You can also take the Be Safe Pledge.
Imran A. Andrabi, MD
President and CEO,
ThedaCare
Mark P. Duerwaechter
Superintendent,
Kaukauna Area School District
Margaret “Peggy” Larson, Ed.D.
Superintendent,
Winneconne Community School District
Mary Pfeiffer, PhD
Superintendent,
Neenah Joint School District
Laurie Asher
Superintendent,
Seymour Community School District
Kurt Eggebrecht
Health Officer,
City of Appleton
Dominick Madison, PhD
Superintendent,
Brillion Public Schools
Bernie Sherry
SVP, Ascension and Ministry Market Executive,
Ascension Wisconsin
Judy Baseman, PhD
Superintendent,
Appleton Area School District
Cindi Geobel
Communications and Project Specialist,
Calumet County Public Health
Chad Marx
Superintendent,
School District of Stockbridge
Anthony Sweere
Superintendent,
Hilbert School District
Scott Bleck
Superintendent,
School District of New London
Doug Gieryn
Health Director/Health Officer,
Winnebago County
Nancy McKenney
Public Health Director/Local Health Officer,
City of Menasha
Chris VanderHeyden
Superintendent,
Menasha Joint School District
David M. Botz
Superintendent,
Little Chute Area School District
Jay R. Jones, PhD
Superintendent,
School District of Omro
Don Merkes
Mayor,
City of Menasha
Natalie Vandeveld
Public Health Officer/Manager,
Outagamie County Public Health Division
Carla Buboltz
Superintendent,
Wrightstown Community School District
Dean Kaufert
Mayor,
City of Neenah
Thomas M. Nelson
County Executive,
Outagamie County
Jake Woodford
Mayor,
City of Appleton
Vickie L. Cartwright, PhD
Superintendent,
Oshkosh Area School District
Bonnie Kolbe, RN, BSN, CHPN
Health Division Manager/Health Officer,
Calumet County Public Health
Want to show your support?
Take the Be Safe Wisconsin pledge to show your family, friends and neighbors that you are committed to helping them Be Safe in the fight against COVID-19.