Now Open…again!

By Jamie Ihms

It has been so hard to close our doors to the public for the last several weeks. Our traditions have been thrown out of whack, and our routines went out the window completely. Trying to explain to my kids why we can go on adventures or visit our favorite people has been heartbreaking. 

But! 

There is hope in new beginnings. We reopened today and I couldn’t be happier to have the doors unlocked. To get out of the house, hand my adorable banshees to the childcare worker and sit down to a HOT cup of coffee at my QUIET desk…magical. 

Being able to serve people who I can see are struggling the way I am is why I’m here. I know parenting and working at the same time is hard. Even more so now. Let’s get through this together. Not the way your cable company’s email says “we’re here for you”. REALLY, I want to be here for you. I want to have fun, mess-free, screen-free, GUILT-FREE activities for your littles and I want to see you relax into a comfy chair with some local coffee before you dive into your to-do list uninterrupted. 

And I want to continue to offer those things to you. So, we’ve put into place some new health and safety policies, which is just a fancy way of saying we’re working really hard to do our part to make sure we don’t have to close our doors again. If we can adapt to a new normal for a while, maybe we can beat this crummy virus and keep Gilbert open. Maybe we can enjoy each others’ company and do meaningful work and not feel like we’re drowning in the unknowns and the obstacles of working from home during a pandemic. 

So read through our new policies, grab your face covering, and come visit me!

Health and Safety Policy:

Now that we have reopened, we will:
-Continue to wear masks and maintain 6′ distance from each other and guests
-Continue to host valuable virtual content
-Perform TWICE daily cleanings of common areas and shared surfaces
-Perform janitorial services TWICE weekly
-Limit the number of people in any given area or room to no more than 10 at one time
-Encourage guests to wear masks (and provide them when necessary)
-Begin to introduce in-person events, while encouraging physical distancing and face coverings
-Provide hand sanitizing stations and disinfecting supplies
-Provide mobile dividers to be used between seats in the common areas.
-Watch for feedback from you and your guests, as well as guidance from the CDC and Governor Ducey on how to proceed

Please help us create a safe environment by doing the following:
-Please wear a mask at all times while in the halls and common areas. If you have not received a mask from us yet, please see us at the front desk. Reusable masks should be washed daily for maximum protection.
-Please encourage your guests to wear a mask while in our space. We will have disposable masks available (depending on deliveries) for guests and will offer them to anyone who comes in without one.
-Please limit any meetings or guest visits to only those that are absolutely necessary. If a meeting can be done over the phone or via video conferencing, we encourage you to use those methods.
-While meeting with guests, please feel free to use the conference rooms, kitchen, or coworking areas and maintain a distance of 6′ between everyone.
-Clean your shared desk and surfaces before and after you use them
-Rinse and put your used dishes in the dishwasher to avoid cross-contamination with other members or staff
-Stay home if you feel sick and encourage your guests to do the same\
-Communicate with us. This isn’t forever, but it’s the new normal for the foreseeable future. We want to know what will make you feel most safe and comfortable.