I wish all that is happening in the world was one big April Fool’s joke. However, it is not.

But please don’t panic. We will all get through this with some common sense, compassion, and patience.

I’ll start by saying the same things I’ve been saying for two weeks. Wash your hands. Stay home when possible. If you can’t stay home, go out and back as quickly as you can, and unless you need to, leave your kiddos at home. Please don’t hoard stuff. Wash your hands.

I’m admittedly an optimist. I try to see the bright side — the silver lining — in most things. So where is the bright side in all this?

Well, I think it’s right here in our community and us coming back to our communities. We are all starting to realize how important each individual in our community it to keep it afloat and functioning.

The restaurants in our area have stepped up to support our community in an amazing fashion. They are feeding us, and in a lot of cases, feeding our kids — for FREE! I think the best way to say thank you for that is to patronize them now and in the coming months.

The restaurants are the cover are just a few examples of what is available in the area as far as take-out and delivery options available. I wish I could have listed each one, but space limitations are real. I encourage each of you to do your best to order from a local restaurant in the coming weeks. We want to see all of these establishments survive and thrive during an unprecedented time in our lives.

I won’t spend my whole column telling you all the ways that supporting local restaurants — and local businesses in general — is vital to the local economy, you are well aware of that. Instead, I’m going to try to list as many local restaurants that I can that are offering take-out and delivery to keep your family fed, healthy, and comforted right now.

So — deep breath — here we go:
• 505 & Blvd Brews – carry-out of Blvd Brews menu
• Acme Barbecue – carry-out
• Backhouse Cafe Coffee & Tea – carry-out
• Barrel 135 – carry-out
• BFit Fitness & Nutrition, Linden, takeout and limited delivery
• Boom City Brewing – carry-out, delivery and growler sales
• Bruster’s Real Ice Cream – drive thru and walk-up windows open
• Bullfrog Brewery – carry-out and beer to go
• Burger King – drive-thru and carry-out
• Casale’s Sub Shop – carry-out and delivery
• Chef Hosch – food truck will be parked at 414 Walnut Street, Williamsport
• Crippled Bear takeout beer & food
• Crown Fried Chicken – carry-out
• Country Fork, Hughesville, takeout
• DiSalvo’s takeout Orlando’s takeout
• Don Patron Williamsport takeout
• Eat and Run Catering and Restaurant takeout/curbside
• Ed’s Market – carry-out
• Erb’s West End Family Market – carry-out
• Filippo’s Italian Restaurant – carry-out and delivery
• Frankie’s Sub Shop, Montoursville, takeout, delivery
• Gateway Cafe – carry-out
• Grim’s Diner, Warrensville, takeout, delivery
• Hachiko Asian Cuisine – carry-out and delivery
• Hall’s Station Sub Shop, takeout
• Henry’s Bar-B-Q – carry-out and curbside
• Hillside Catering, takeout, delivery
• Hoby’s Hoagies & Pizza, takeout, delivery
• Humpty Dumpty Creekside, takeout
• James Restaurant – limited menu for carry-out
• Ichiban – carry-out from 11am-2pm and 5pm-8pm
• J&M Sub Shop, take out via pickup window
• Joe’s Pizza & Restaurant – carry-out and delivery
• Joe’s Pizza West End – carry-out and delivery
• Johnson’s Cafe – carry-out and delivery
• Joy Thai Cuisine takeout
• Julie’s Coffee – carry-out
• Kathy’s Cafe, Hughesville
• Kitchen Repose, Williamsport, dietician-prepared meals vis delivery
• Kutzas Kitchen, Jersey Shore
• Laziza Phakwan Restaurant – carry-out
• Leo’s Pizzeria takeout/delivery
• Little Caesar’s – carry-out and delivery
• Long Island Pizza – carry-out and delivery
• Loyalsock Hotel – carry-out food and beer
• Main Street Grille, Muncy, take-out.  Delivery available, if volume and distance permit.
• Mark’s Family Restaurant, Cogan Station
• Martins Pantry – carry-out
• May’s Drive In, Hughesville
• McDonald’s – drive thru or carry-out
• Mel’s Deli – carry-out, delivery and curbside
• Mileto’s Sub Shop – carry-out
• Moon & Raven Public House Friends, takeout/delivery
• Mr. Sticky’s – drive thru and carry-out
• Newberry Subs Official takeout/delivery
• Nippenose Tavern, Williamsport
• Orlando’s Restaurant, Muncy, takeout, delivery, curbside pickup.
• Ozzies, Montoursville, takeout, curbside service, delivery
• Oval County Store, Jersey Shore, takeout
• Papa John’s Pizza – carry-out and delivery
• Park Pizza – carry-out or delivery
• Pier 87 Bar & Grill – carry-out
• Pudgie’s Pizza – curbside and drive-thru
• Real Taste Taqueria & Catering takeout/delivery
• Revolution Fitness and Nutrition, Muncy, window pick up and limited delivery
• Rivals Sports Bar & Restaurant takeout
• Riepstine’s Pub, Williamsport, takeout
• Riverside Subs and Pizza, South Williamsport, takeout and delivery
• Rupert’s Meats – carry-out
• Sammy’s Pizza, Muncy, takeout and delivery.
• Santino’s Italian Cuisine – carry-out
• Southern Grill, South Side
• Southside Dairy Queen
• Springman’s Country Store Cafe – limited menu for carry-out and curbside
• Station House – carry-out
• Stella A’s Bar & Grill, Lock Haven, curbside delivery and takeout
• Sunshine 6-Packs & Subs – carry-out
• Texas Lunch Restaurant, Lock Haven, curbside delivery and takeout
• The Bridge Tavern – curbside and delivery
• The Crazy Tomato – drive thru and carry-out
• The Ritz Cafe, Muncy, takeout
• The South Side Restaurant & Pizzeria – delivery and curbside
• The Trail Inn takeout/delivery/beer
• The Valley Inn – carry-out at 15% off
• The Who’s Inn – takeout beer, food, propane – curbside pickup
• Tiadaghton Inn – carry-out food and six packs
• Tony’s Deli – carry-out and delivery
• VFW Post 3428, Muncy, takeout
• Venture Inn, Jersey Shore
• Vinnie’s Italian Eatery – carry-out and delivery
• Waltz’s Creamery, Salladasburg
• Way Cool Beans – carry-out beans and beverages

Now, I’m sure that I have missed some places, and for that I am sorry. I certainly did my best to use multiple resources to compile as many places as possible. But this is a list of almost ONE HUNDRED business that could use your support! And remember TIP, TIP, TIP! The more businesses that we can support in any capacity right now, the better we will all be in the long run! So please. #ShopLocal. #EatLocal. Be a part of your local community!