I am privileged to be the President of the Press Club of Toledo this year. Last night, we held a virtual town hall featuring 40 communication professionals in the Toledo area. It was an inspiring event. Everyone—journalists and communicators alike—was aware of the vital role that effective communication programs are playing in helping people cope and (hopefully) thrive in these times.

I heard two impressive commitments in that call.

First, there was a primary focus on employee mental health. Everyone talked about taking proactive steps to ensure employees were taking breaks, cutting off their work when they were off the clock…and were in good general mental health. That’s the right thing to do and we are doing it.

Second, there was an understanding that in these times we serve our community…the public. This is a traditional view of journalism, though that idea is under obvious attack today. On the other hand, communicators have sometimes been looked at as “spin doctors” or manipulators.

The people we heard from—representing BGSU, UT, TPS, Sylvania Schools, Susan G. Komen, The Toledo Museum of Art, Imagination Station, University of Findlay, Bittersweet Farms, WGTE, Lucas County Children Services—took the opposite view. In times like this, helping people understand what’s happening and adjust to changing circumstances is vital work and it is being done with excellence in this region.

I have said before that I stayed in this business because I believe in what we do. I said that before we were in the middle of this pandemic and I say it now. It’s the crisis of the century, literally…or so we hope. It’s our moment. Be great.