Letter from the Editor

Dear friends and neighbors,

A dear friend recently sent me this quote: “For all that we speak, as a culture and a people, of victory and defeat, of good and evil, of hero and coward, it is none of it quite true. The truth is that the greatest victory is to endure with grace and humor, to stay in the game, to achieve humility.”

Novelist, poet and editor Brian Doyle wrote these words in his collection of essays, “One Long River of Song.” And they have never rung more true.

We remain locked in battle with an unseen force. It’s stopped humanity in its tracks, affecting every element of our lives the world over. The COVID-19 coronavirus is taking lives. It has upended the world economy and nearly every other facet of life.

In our small community, we’re seeing the toll as well. Big Sky Resort closed a month early over mounting concerns of the virus’s spread, and many of our restaurants and small businesses have been forced to close or adapt. And fast.

At Explore Big Sky, we’ve had our cages rattled along with all of you. In the face of COVID-19, we are working from home, tightening our belts with the rest of the community. And we’re rising to the challenge alongside each of you. In an effort to adapt to this temporary new normal, we’re ramping up our reporting both in the print edition of EBS and on our digital fronts to bring you the information you simply need to know.

From our website to social media, from the “Town Crier” e-newsletter to video and podcasts, my team is stepping up to the challenge as community journalists. And our greater Outlaw Partners team is stepping up as well for our clients and advertisers, and creating new ways to help our local and regional business partners. We are here for you, our audience, as well.

The commemorative cover from the latest EBS was designed by our close friend and colleague Kelsey Dzintars, and this special edition of EBS is meant to represent a moment in time, one we hope you’ll keep and share with future generations. It’s a moment when we came together as a community.

These are times that try our will and threaten our livelihood. But we live not in fear. We live in Big Sky. We are neighbors and friends. We are ski partners and hiking pals. Thank you for your continued support during these unsettling times. Remember to reach out to each other and remain connected. Show patience and humility. Grace and humor. And stay in the game.

#BigSkyStrong,
Joseph T. O’Connor, Editor-in-Chief