Pandemic Polaroids

June 12, 2020

Pandemic Polaroids

In March, life changed for Americans due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The same is true of those in and around Cape Girardeau County. These images of the pandemic were captured on Polaroid Originals instant film using vintage Polaroid 600 cameras between mid-March and the second week of June. See the photo spread in this weekend’s newspaper. Editor’s note: Given how quickly information changes during the pandemic, photo captions reflect information available at the time of the image’s creation.

Jacob Wiegand

An Easter sunrise service takes place Sunday, April 12, 2020, at Bald Knob Cross of Peace in Alto Pass, Illinois. Worshipers flock to the cross most years for the annual service, but not during the COVID-19 pandemic. But there were a few people at the cross to conduct the service and share it with the masses. Teresa Gilbert, executive director of Bald Knob Cross of Peace, said the experience was "very different" than normal. Gilbert said WSIL-TV live streamed and broadcast the service. "It's just been an amazing experience watching everybody pull together," Gilbert said. "Not one of us could have done it by ourselves."

Annistyn "Anni" Bridges, 4, shares a moment with the dog, Nash, while taking a portrait Wednesday, April 8, 2020, at their Cape Girardeau home. Heather Bridges, originally of Benton, Missouri, and now Cape Girardeau, has been working full time while staying at home with her daughter Annistyn. "We have been here for the past, I think three weeks is when I started working from home," Bridges said Wednesday. "We're making it work, but definitely trying to be as organized as possible with me getting my work done and her, we're doing pre-k from home. ... It's been interesting and we're taking it a day at a time."

Tracy Foster of Sikeston, Missouri, shops from her vehicle while assisted by April (who declined to provide her last name) of Cobden, Illinois, during Jackson's drive-through farmers market Tuesday, April 21, 2020, at the St. Louis Iron Mountain and Southern Railway depot in Jackson. Market customers were able to do their shopping without leaving their vehicles.

Tracy Foster of Sikeston, Missouri, shops from her vehicle while assisted by April (who declined to provide her last name) of Cobden, Illinois, during Jackson's drive-through farmers market Tuesday, April 21, 2020, at the St. Louis Iron Mountain and Southern Railway depot in Jackson.  Market customers were able to do their shopping without leaving their vehicles.

Locals take part in a "park and pray" event Tuesday, March 31, 2020, outside Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Christy Brey of Jackson, who organized the event, said people also gathered Monday at Saint Francis Medical Center. "Obviously there's a lot going on with the scares and the panic of COVID and just the fears of people," Brey said. She said she had the idea after seeing a post about a similar event on social media. "It's just to kind of rally the community," she said. Brey said people at the event were supposed to stay in their vehicles and "stay within the guidelines of safety."

Members of the Missouri Army National Guard, from left, Conner Wakeland of St. Louis, Missouri, Kody Roy of Cape Girardeau and Dylan Hovis of Bloomfield, Missouri, stand while performing military honors for the late World War II veteran Clifford Heinrich of Cape Girardeau on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, at Ford & Sons Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau. Missouri Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Justin Bickings of Cape Girardeau said state veterans cemeteries are still having burials, but aren't having services at the cemeteries. Following the honors, Heinrich was schedule to be buried at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield.

Missouri National Guard member Jerod Burch, foreground right, and STREAM specialist Kelley Branch, foreground left, workout with other members of the Missouri National Guard and Jefferson Elementary School teachers and staff Thursday, May 7, 2020, at the Cape Girardeau school. The workout was held as part of Teacher Appreciation Week and drive-through meal distribution took place at the school a short time after the exercise session. Members of the Missouri National Guard have been helping with meal distribution in the Cape Girardeau School District since late April.

Fresh Healthy Cafe employee Molly Clark of Jackson (foreground in orange) and Camdyn Powell, 7, pack meals through Kids Against Hunger near cafe employee Jillian Olson of Cape Girardeau (in background) on Friday, April 24, 2020, in Cape Girardeau. Rick Hetzel, Southeast Missouri satellite director for Kids Against Hunger, said employees from Fresh Healthy Cafe in Cape Girardeau are regularly packing meals. "We anticipated there would be people that probably because of the layoffs and the economy would need food. And so about a month ago we ordered in enough for 100,000 meals with our Kids Against Hunger satellite," Hetzel said.

Jeremiah Williams, 16, of Cape Girardeau, directs traffic while Daniel Glasco and Jordan McClure, 17, both of Cape Girardeau, work a drive-through food distribution Tuesday, April 14, 2020, at Cape First Church in Cape Girardeau. The event was part of a "series of COVID-19 Response Mobile food distributions to respond to the increased need for food assistance following temporary layoffs and school closures due to the outbreak of COVID-19," according to a release from the Southeast Missouri Food Bank.

Siblings, from left, Asher Robinson, 3; Tiana Bowman; Talia Bowman, 15; and Bethani Robinson, 6; pose for a portrait Tuesday, April 7, 2020, at their Cape Girardeau home. Their mother Becki Robinson has been working from her Cape Girardeau home and four of her children have been home as well. One of her daughters is a student at Maryville University in St. Louis and another goes to Cape Central High School, but both are now at home for classes. "Neither one of them have been out in public for weeks. I mean we'll leave the house like to take a walk around our neighborhood, but as far as them going to stores or going anywhere, they haven't done it. And that's the same for my 6-year-old and 3-year-old," Robinson said.

The Rev. Allan Saunders, pastor at St. Mary Cathedral, reads a book while available to hear confessions Saturday, March 28, 2020, outside St. Mary Cathedral School in Cape Girardeau. Saunders, who was scheduled to be available to hear confessions from 3:15 to 4:15 p.m., said it was the normal time for the activity, but the first time doing so outside due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "We can't have churches open so we figure we can do social distancing outside," Saunders said.

On his 90th birthday, Paul L. Essner of Benton, Missouri, and his wife Bert Essner watch a parade celebrating Paul's birthday Saturday, April 18, 2020, outside St. Denis Catholic School in Benton, Missouri. Betty Essner of Benton, Paul's daughter-in-law, said they had planned to have a 90th birthday party and open house for Paul at the St. Denis parish center. But when the gathering was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was decided to have a parade instead. "It's a little sad," Betty said of the change in plans. "We were really looking forward to having everybody together because we're a big family and we're spread out." Numerous vehicles and their occupants paraded for about 15 minutes past where Paul and Bert were seated.

Cosmologist Antonio Johnson, owner of A+ Kutz, wears a face mask while cutting the hair of Omiere Johnson, 6, of Cape Girardeau, on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, at the shop in Cape Girardeau. Antonio, originally from Sikeston, Missouri, and now Cape Girardeau, said he usually always wears gloves while cutting hair, but has been wearing the face mask since the end of last week due to concerns about coronavirus. "I'm trying to keep myself safe," Antonio said.

Southeast Missourian photo editor Jacob Wiegand takes a selfie with a homemade face mask after returning from a drive-true only mobile food pantry assignment Saturday, April 4, 2020, at his Cape Girardeau apartment.

A stuffed-animal bear sits with a fire vehicle Thursday, April 2, 2020, at Jackson Fire Rescue's Station 1 in Jackson. "We are ready for all the bear hunters in Cape County. As [you] drive by our Station 1 in Jackson make sure to be on the lookout but don't be alarmed, our bear is pretty friendly," Jackson Fire Rescue posted on its Facebook page. Stuffed animals are showing up in windows around the globe giving kids a "social-distancing-safe scavenger hunt activity during coronavirus lockdowns," according to a USA Today article.

Caution tape blocks off a slide at a playground Thursday, April 2, 2020, at Capaha Park in Cape Girardeau. 

A "face mask required" sign is seen on the door of Flesh Hound Tattoo Studio on Tuesday, June 9, 2020, in Cape Girardeau.

Nell Holcomb teacher's aide Baylee Rowland (left) and Nell Holcomb fourth-grade teacher Laura Seyer, both of Jackson, handle meals for students Wednesday, April 8, 2020, at Nell Holcomb R-IV School District in Cape Girardeau. District superintendent Bleau Deckerd said meals, consisting of lunch for that day and breakfast for the following day, are being delivered Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He said all of the students are eligible to receive the meals.

Becky Wichern, a math teacher and cheer coach at Saxony Lutheran High School, holds a sign for the school's 2020 seniors near Sarah Benkendorf (right), a math teacher and scholar bowl coach at the school, during a drive through "senior stroll" Tuesday, April 28, 2020, at the school in Jackson. School principal Mark Ruark said seniors were able to pick up their caps and gowns along with a few other gifts during the event. He said the 64 students in the 2020 senior class make it the largest in the school's history.

On the day his high school graduation was supposed to be held, Oak Ridge High School senior Bryce Hahs drives in a parade for the school's seniors Friday, May 8, 2020, in Oak Ridge. The senior parade made its way from Cape County Cowboy Church near Interstate 55 and through the community to Oak Ridge High School. Adrian Eftink, superintendent of the Oak Ridge R-VI School District, said a group of parents who wanted to do something for the seniors approached the school district about the parade. "It just makes you proud of the community," Eftink said. "Being an administrator and a member of the staff here, to see the community support our students, it just gives you a good warm feeling [and] pride in the Oak Ridge community."

A discarded face mask sits on the ground Tuesday, June 9, 2020, near the railroad tracks in downtown Cape Girardeau.

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