MISSOULA — If the coronavirus doesn’t make you sick, the stress and worry about the tumbling economy just might.
The deep cleaning is underway at the Source Fitness center in Missoula that’s been closed since March 19th.
Cleaning, spacing out equipment and prepping the rooftop, open air workout space something owner Dallas Neil and crew can do to prepare for a re-opening that could still be weeks away
“We see these little bright spots, though, of like a member will send us an email and says hey, I'm with you as long as you need to go. here to go and we’re grateful to so many of the members which has given us the ability to keep some of our staff on, and they’re cleaning and getting the rooftop deck ready. We're doing as much as we can," said Neil.
Dallas Neil co-owns the business with his wife Christy. He’s working with other businesses such as "Master Clean" and "Keep Missoula Clean" who are on the job and donated some of their time.
He’s also made some donations to local restaurants who are also struggling.
“I wake up with no idea what to do I want to help. So, we find out what the needs of our members are or the community and that seems to help. Getting involved in something is better than doing nothing in a situation you can’t change," said Neil.
He knows other local business owners are feeling a lot of pressure, financial stress compounded by the unknown, especially for those not allowed to open yet...he wants to make sure it’s safe to open first but hopes it’s not a day longer than it has to be.
“That uncertainty is something that we have to manage. A lot of people's stress levels are going through the roof and stress is one of the leading causes of diseases so as a health provider, I'm like, you have to learn how to make that stress work for you and learn how to take that uncertainly and embrace it in the moment and it will work out," said Neil.
Dallas says if businesses like his stay closed for an extended time, many owners will have to decide how much debt they’re willing to take on and for how long. But he, like many others, wants to be able to stay open permanently once the health department gives them the ‘go ahead.’
