Special to Iredell Free News

Downtown Statesville Development Corporation (DSDC) has launched a campaign to encourage social media engagement during this time of social distancing.

“Over the past week, DSDC has been collecting and featuring the faces of the business owners and the teams behind the businesses that make up Downtown Statesville,” said DSDC Executive Director Marin Tomlin. “You can’t help but feel more hopeful when you look at this album of kindness, compassion and support!”

This album — called “We are Downtown Statesville!” — is pinned to the top of DSDC’s Facebook page and explains:

“Now here’s where the community comes in,” said Tomlin. “We need you to take a moment to visit the album, click on the link for the business associated with each photo to LIKE & FOLLOW their page. You’d be surprised what this can do to support our business community.”

For Instagram users, Tomlin instructed folks to visit DowntownSVL on Instagram and “follow” everyone that Downtown Statesville follows.

“Random acts of kindness by Downtown Statesville business owners have been abundant over the past weeks”, said Brittany Hill, chairwoman of the DSDC Board of Directors. “We have been overwhelmed by the support our downtown businesses have shown by coming out to support each other. These are great stories we want to share in a time when our lives have been turned upside down.”

Sir Speedy Printing offered 150 free black & white take-out menu prints for restaurants to give their takeout customers. Johnson Greenhouses offered free vases of spring flowers for anyone to drive thru and pick up to take to their loved one or someone who is shut in needing support.

“Businesses across Downtown are ordering take-out from each other and sharing each other’s socials post. And the musicians. Local musicians are donating their time to go Facebook live for people to enjoy,” Tomlin said.