Even in the best of times communication seems to be one of the hardest things for people to do.

It seems that during any given year we go weeks without any major activities such as fundraisers on the social calendar for Butler County and then we will have two on the same date.

It happened just before the big shutdown as the Butler County Symphony and Butler Health System shared the same Saturday evening in March for major events.

People had to choose which to attend or support. Many groups have tried over the years to be the official calendar, but it just doesn’t seem to work.

Coordinating food distribution and providing meals during our current pandemic is another situation where better communication could stretch food and funds further.

Too many of us, with the best of intentions, are doing our own thing without checking to see what will be best for the overall problem we are trying to fix.

The BHS Foundation has put a viable schedule and system into place for donors and supporters to provide meals to hospital staff workers. It has been working well and has given families and smaller businesses the opportunity to fill a void, giving the donors a sense of pride and usefulness that doesn’t come with just donating a check to a bigger effort.

Yet new, differently structured and unconnected groups are springing up —again we stress with great intentions — and duplicating efforts already underway.

The biggest concern will be waste and uncovered holes in the original schedule. We have tried giving recognition and publicity to as many of the individual plans being put forth, but as we provide coverage, we see the causes almost working against the effectiveness of each other even though the intention is purely to be helpful.

We encourage everyone wanting to help to look hard at what others are already doing. If you want to work with the hospital workers specifically, then contact the Foundation and ask its advice as to how you or your organization can have the largest or most far-reaching benefit to them.

We don’t think anyone is looking for the most publicity or accolades they can generate, but sometimes creativity hinders the solution.

It truly feels like we are about to see the efforts of all people be rewarded. We made it past the Easter holiday and all the pomp and circumstance which comes with it and haven’t heard any reason to think we suffered any setbacks in the fight. All the numbers seem to be moving in our favor, and maybe the floodwaters of COVID-19 are starting to recede.

Remember though, Noah didn’t get to go out and play golf or even fish the day the rains stopped after the flood. Gradually we will find normalcy and with it hopefully some new respect for humanity and nature.

Meanwhile let’s communicate and work together. It will be good practice for after the doors of our protective ark are opened.