Borrego Sun - Since 1949

As many in the world settle in at home to avoid the coronavirus, the community of Julian shows once again that everyone rallies around each other. The Julian community is not a stranger to emergency situations that have closed schools or cancelled events. This current event is just another opportunity for people to be supportive of one another. If one spends any time on the variety of community Facebook pages, posts about making grocery runs off the mountain for others or offering extra supplies are a daily occurrence.

Some of the retail shops along Main Street have either closed or are only opened for limited hours. Due to county restrictions, the restaurants in Julian have had to temporarily close their dining rooms and only offer take out or curbside delivery service. Currently, Wynola Pizza is offering take and bake pizza while Jeremy’s on the Hill has begun offering meal kit packages. With new information coming out each day about the virus, businesses are having to be extremely flexible.

For any visitors to Julian, the Julian Chamber of Commerce has added a notice to their website that states:

“Thank you for your interest in Julian, California. Our entire community is dedicated to the health and safety of its community and our visitors. Each business in town is making their own decisions on whether or not they will be open during this time. All businesses have indicated that they are adhering to guidelines set forth and are taking all the precautions recommended. Per County Mandate – all restaurants that are serving are providing take out only. Some are offering curbside service.”

All employers are trying to find ways to protect their employees’ financial stability. However, in such a small, tourist-driven community, it’s even harder to survive during a crisis. From laying off employees or finding creative ways to offer work, local employers are being very supportive. The Julian community is experienced in handling crises. Through the use of social media and word of mouth, Julian residents are sharing information for resources, articles and website links. The school districts are working hard to provide school lunches during the closure and teachers are also using emails and videos to stay in contact with their students.

The rain and snow showers have certainly aided in keeping people safely quarantined at home. The recent storm didn’t bring as much inclement weather as earlier predicted, although, it definitely gave us something to enjoy. It has been uplifting to see so much connectivity throughout the Julian community and beyond during such an uncertain time. When this crisis ends in Julian, its residents and the country as a whole will bounce back. In the meantime, stay healthy, stay connected and stay positive.

Visit the Julian Chamber of Commerce website (visitjulian.com) or social media (@visitjulian) for updates.