Duluth Residents Makes Some Noise for Frontline Workers

DULUTH, Minn.– Frontline workers have been giving their all since the very beginning of the pandemic. Now, with hospitals busier than ever fighting the virus and schools going virtual due to high cases numbers, the city of Duluth found a creative way to say thank you.

Right at 3:30 Wednesday afternoon, the sound could be heard all across the east Duluth neighborhood as loud clanking and cheers filling the air.

This was a challenge from Duluth Mayor Emily Larson earlier this week. She invited everyone in the city to bang on pots and pans from their homes to show their support for frontline workers.

“To do a shout out and a beat of gratitude to our essential workers, our healthcare workers for the incredible work they’re doing,” said Rosie Loeffler-Kemp, who organized the event on her neighborhood.

The 3:30 timing was intentional. It’s the time normally when healthcare workers switch shifts and around the same time as the end of a school day.

Rosie Loeffler-Kemp took on the mayor’s call. Being a Duluth School Board member and living in a neighborhood with so many frontline workers, she led the effort along her street.

The banging of the pots and pans may seems strange but not to Loeffler-Kemp. It’s been a birthday tradition for her family and she says it’s a perfect way to honor those working on the front lines.

“Why we do it as a family is to show our love for our kids and to honor them. And I can’t think of a better thing for us as a community to be doing right before thanksgiving day is to show our support to our healthcare workers,” said Loeffler-Kemp.

The Guidinger family was making noise in their driveway to show support for their mom Lyndsay, who’s been on the front lines as a nurse. For them, they say it’s great to honor those fighting COVID-19.

“It’s just a very stressful time for all of us,” said father Kurt Guidinger. “We have three kids at home learning. And she’s a nurse so it’s a stressful time. We have family members who’ve been diagnosed so we just wanted to support the stress they’re under right now to keep all of us healthy.”

Right next door was the Beste family. Their mom Erin is also a nurse. After staying home a lot during the pandemic, they were ready to let their wild side out.

“I’m just glad to be out here banging pots for the nurses,” said Henry Beste, who banged on the pots and pans for his mom.

As the noise from the pots and pans fill the air, Duluthians are hoping everyone who is out fighting COVID-19 knows their hard work is being recognized.

“I think that they just appreciate that other people are recognizing the work that they’re doing and at the end of a stressful day, to have people that are acknowledging that it kind of lifts them up as they come back home again,” said Corey Beste, who was out with his kids.

When everyone was out making noise, the neighborhood was thinking of all the teachers, frontline workers, and students down their street who are being impacted from COVID-19.