A big shout-out to Community Action Program of East Central Oregon, Carol Innes and Pendleton’s Marigold Hotel to help the city’s homeless population during the COVID-19 crisis.

Clearly the city’s — and region’s — homeless population remains one of the most vulnerable to the virus outbreak. During a crisis, such as the COVID-19 virus epidemic, the homeless and displaced of our area can easily be forgotten as we all turn our focus inward.

Yet, those without access to adequate housing of food or hygiene are not only more susceptible to the virus, but remain another way for the malady to spread widely throughout our community.

That is why the efforts of CAPECO, Innes and the Marigold Hotel are so precise and laudable. The hotel began to help the local homeless population March 19 and housed 61 people in 46 rooms. The project is funded by CAPECO.

Another key piece of the effort was the work of Innes, a Pendleton city councilor.

Innes, the hotel and others who helped expedite the program deserve a great deal of praise. In the midst of a pandemic, it is quite easy — and natural — to forget about those that remain on the fringes of our society but whose lives are as important as anyone else’s.

The group that helped make the program a success showed more than just a modest amount of courage. Their efforts were brave and needed, and showed that even in the middle of an unprecedented upheaval, such as the COVID-19 virus outbreak, that local people do care about each other and will step up to help when needed.

We hope this example remains a beacon for the rest of our great community. Because there are lessons in these efforts, lessons we should reflect on as we power through the COVID-19 outbreak.

In the end, we are one community. One tribe, so to speak, that live, work and play in a great region or our state. So, we should remember to try to take care of each other, to be gracious and caring at a time when such sentiments are at a premium.

We are all in this together. So, let’s watch out for one another.