Is Anyone in Missoula Still Howling for Frontline Workers?
Is nightly howling still a thing at all? If that seems like an odd question I should probably specify that I'm talking about the community howling Missoula was doing every night at 8 PM to pay tribute to first responders and frontline workers. It was quite a sight sound every night when neighbors would step outside and let loose with howls that could be heard all over town. But at this point is there anybody left that's still doing it?
It was fun while it lasted
I do have to say that howling seemed like an odd choice as a way to show your support. But I joined in since my young kids thought it was pretty fun while it was happening in our neighborhood. It's been a good while since the howling has dried up around our place but I saw somebody pose the questions online this week asking what happened and if anyone was still carrying on with the nightly vocal tribute.
My initial thought to the question was, "Oh, I wonder if there are indeed little pockets around town where people are still howling. I'll read a few comments and see what everyone says." But naturally, since it was an online post, it turned into a bit of bickering over different stances on vaccination.
Outside of howling, there were a few comments that did provide some interesting thoughts:
- howling is fine but if we want to show our support for the community we should give blood
- call state legislation to advocate on behalf of frontline workers for better benefits and treatment
- a medical worker saying howling is fine but the best way to help is to get vaccinated
- someone saying the howling annoyed as many people as it helped
- a comment that bringing them pizza or donuts instead of howling would be much more meaningful
- one person said they got yelled at whenever they howled so they still support first responders, just quietly 😂
Have we left the howling to the wolves?
The howling was was fun while it lasted but as one person in the chat said, it started organically and petered out organically as well. It may be a thing of the past, but I like to think that somewhere around Missoula there's still a person or two that keep an eye on the clock so they can head to the porch at 8 PM and carry on the nightly ritual. Do you have any neighbors that are still doing it?