Quarantine life // photos courtesy (from left) Texas Health, Kevin Bartram, Rob Johnson
Life in Plano since mid-March has gotten really weird, y’all. Here in North Texas, just like the rest of most of the U.S., normal life ceased to exist with the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent quarantine. Dining rooms, gyms and salons closed; face masks became everyday attire; weddings and graduations were delayed or canceled; streets and church buildings sat empty; paramedics and healthcare professionals wore head-to-toe protective suits; residents were encouraged to limit contact to only the people they lived with; and businesses furloughed or laid off employees.
But quickly, some pretty great things happened, too. Neighbors created chalk art on the sidewalks and placed stuffed animals in windows, just to make others smile. Planoites took advantage – maybe more than ever – of our ridiculously beautiful parks and nature preserves. Musicians performed virtual concerts; friends reconnected through Zoom happy hours; neighbors drove by for birthday car parades. Residents stepped up with donations of personal protective equipment for our healthcare professionals, and when those ran out, many put their sewing skills to good use making fabric face masks to donate. We made sure our senior citizens, healthcare workers and first responders were fed. It may not be the best of times, but these are certainly days to remember.
Anonymous residents brightened a neighbors’ day // photo Allison Brockford
Sidewalk chalk art thanking essential workers // courtesy Hanyo family
When Austin Elliott and Jeanette Reese’s wedding venue closed, they opted for a private front-yard ceremony // courtesy the Elliotts
Austin Avenue sits empty at 6 p.m. March 18, an hour after Plano restaurants were ordered by Plano City Council to close dining rooms
On April 9 Dallas North Tollway saw very few cars passing by // photo Jennifer Shertzer
Residents continued to enjoy using Plano green spaces, like this cyclist on Bluebonnet Trail // photo Aiden Shertzer
Residents took to the sidewalks to create chalk artwork // courtesy Celine Gomez
Plano residents took part in window “animal hunts” for families on walks // photo Jennifer Shertzer
Children’s Health accepted donations of personal protective equipment and supplies from the public // photo Kyle Levesque, Sr. Videographer Childrens Health
A Cinemark parking lot sat empty as theaters were forced to close temporarily // photo Jennifer Shertzer
Empty parking lot atCarpenter Park Recreation Center // photo Jennifer Shertzer
Darren Eubank performs a virtual concert // photo Jennifer Shertzer
A group of Chinese American citizens, including Plano City Council member Lily Bao, raised $80k and ordered PPE to donate to hospitals // courtesy DFW CARE
March 30 Plano City Council online meeting // courtesy City of Plano
Downtown Plano bars and restaurants sat empty on a late March Friday night // photo Aiden Shertzer
Dressed as the Easter Bunny, resident Bill Brunken took photos with neighbors from six feet away // photo Jennifer Shertzer
Spotted in a Plano neighborhood // photo Jennifer Shertzer
Meagan Wauters hosted a Facebook Live shopping session from her Downtown Plano boutique, Lylas // courtesy Lylas
Plano resident paid homage to healthcare providers and first responders in her sidewalk chalk art / photo Carissa Nalley
Drive-in church services became a thing // courtesy Grace Church
Kanishk Adarkar scored toilet paper for a vulnerable person unable to go grocery shopping // courtesy Allen TX/Plano grocery shopping group on Facebook
Facebook Live wine tasting class // courtesy Haywire
Resident Jennifer Davis, shown with coworker Tor Hanyo, rallied friends to donate almost $2,000 for food and drink deliveries to healthcare heroes // courtesy Jennifer Davis
Residents and businesses pitched in to provide healthcare professionals and first responders with meals, drinks and encouraging notes // courtesy St. Andrew UMC
Plano Senior High senior Anthony Tatum posed in front of a window honoring Plano seniors at Texas 2 Stitch // photo Jennifer Tatum
Resident Kelly Hunter and her family hid eggs throughout town the night before Easter so children would wake up to a surprise egg hunt // courtesy Kelly Hunter
Chef Kenny Bowers, along with many other restaurant owners, decided to temporarily shutter several of his restaurants during the pandemic // photo Jennifer Shertzer
The usually busy Legacy West streets sat empty in late March // photo Jennifer Shertzer
The usually busy Legacy West streets sat empty in late March // photo Jennifer Shertzer
Legacy West garage are normally very hard to find parking in // photo Jennifer Shertzer
Restaurants were allowed to sell cocktail kits to-go // courtesy Legacy Hall
Quarantine cookie set // courtesy LPC Creations
Parades in May honoring graduating seniors became a common sight in the absence of graduation ceremonies // photo Jennifer Tatum
Drive-by birthday parades were also very common in March and April // photo Marti Grandinetti
Residents expressed their thanks to healthcare professionals at Medical City Plano // courtesy MCP
A completely empty Plano street // photo Luke Shertzer
Texas Health Plano radiology department // courtesy Texas Health Plano
Staff at Medical City Plano // courtesy Melanie Casey
A twist on typical springtime bluebonnet pics // photo Kevin Bartram
Michael Hamilton from shop La Foofaraw tied white ribbons around Downtown Plano to honor healthcare professionals // photo Michael Hamilton
Plano Magazine and Blue Circle Media partnered to bring drive-by concerts to residents sheltering in place from early spring through late summer // photo Jennifer Shertzer
Minnie’s Food Pantry saw an increasing need at its mobile pantries // courtesy Minnie’s Food Pantry
Materials to make face masks at Michaels // photo Jennifer Shertzer
Social distancing floor spacers // photo Jennifer Shertzer
Plano Fire-Rescue Chief Sam Greif explained new PPE protocols in a Facebook video // courtesy Plano Fire-Rescue
Guests waiting to pick up to-go food at Mi Cocina // photo Aiden Shertzer
On April 6 the Texas National Guard was deployed to help with operations at North Texas Food Bank // courtesy NTFB
Preston Shortino went on a “clover hunt” at Stinson Elementary // photo Monica Shortino
A parade of Plano first responders honored healthcare workers at Texas Health on the morning of April 13 // courtesy Plano Fire-Rescue
A parade of Plano first responders honored healthcare workers at Texas Health April 13 // courtesy Plano Fire-Rescue
Encouragement from Rob Johnson, a volunteer with the 501st Legion // courtesy Rob Johnson
Mudleaf Coffee was one of many restaurants that allowed customers to purchase food and drinks for healthcare workers and first responders // courtesy Mudleaf Coffee
Painting of an empty Downtown Plano by James Gilbreath, resident artist at Plano’s Rail Station Studios // courtesy James Gilbreath
A temporarily closed nail salon // photo Jennifer Shertzer
On March 31 Plano ISD announced campuses would remain closed through May 1, eventually extending through the remainder of the school year // photo Jennifer Shertzer
Plano ISD Education Foundation staff cheering on volunteers helping to deliver school supplies to PISD families // photo Jonathan Miller
By April 1 Plano Public Library had moved much of its programming online // courtesy PPL
Signs reminding visitors to distance were placed in Plano parks // photo Jennifer Shertzer
City of Plano staff were deployed as friendly monitors reminding visitors to distance themselves from others at Plano parks // courtesy Plano Parks and Recreation
The Shops at Willow Bend announced March 23 it was closing temporarily, a day before Collin County Judge Chris Hill issued a stay-at-home order // photo Jennifer Shertzer
When Plano dining rooms were ordered closed March 18 many restaurants swiftly switched to curbside service // photo Jennifer Shertzer
BuzzBallz in Carrollton switched from production of cocktails to hand sanitizer and made donations to public safety organizations across the U.S. // courtesy Plano Fire-Rescue
Starbucks temporarily closed all stores without drive-through service // photo Jennifer Shertzer
Gyms were ordered to temporarily close March 21 // photo Jennifer Shertzer
Masks became acceptable workplace attire // photo Tim Sporcic
Christina Cheng grocery shopped for a vulnerable person unable to go grocery shopping // courtesy Allen TX/Plano grocery shopping group on Facebook
Gyms were ordered to temporarily close March 21 // photo Jennifer Shertzer
An empty Thunderbird Roller Rink parking lot // photo Aiden Shertzer
