'It was difficult last year': Bay County residents excited for Thanksgiving reunions again

LYNN HAVEN — For 81-year-old Donald Anderson, it feels good to know he will not be forced to spend this Thanksgiving in solitude.

As a resident of BeeHive Homes Assisted Living in Lynn Haven, Anderson is among the millions of seniors in assisted living facilities across the United States who could not spend last holiday season with friends and family because of the risk of contracting COVID-19.

"I accepted it, but it would have been nice if I could have been (with family) for Thanksgiving," he said. "It wasn't as fun. Thanksgiving has always been very, very important to me because (it's a time to gather) family together."

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According to Spencer Montgomery, administrator of BeeHive Homes, federal and state mandates were in place during almost all of 2020 that prevented people like Anderson from leaving their communities for recreational purposes. They also prohibited guests from entering the assisted living facilities.

The rulings were lifted toward the beginning of this year, Montgomery said.

"It was difficult last year," he said. "What we pride ourselves on is making (residents) feel like (they're in) the next best place to home, and not having families being there ... took away from the atmosphere that we try to create."

While visitors to the facility still are asked to wear face masks, Montgomery said life there is practically back to normal and many residents are very excited for the holidays this year.

"There definitely is a little bit of a buzz for some of the residents and especially for their family members," he said.

Residents of BeeHive Homes were not the only ones forced last year to endure the holiday season without the company of extended family and friends.

John Cannon, principal of Lynn Haven Elementary School, said he and his family also did not travel in 2020 for Thanksgiving because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For about the past decade, they have spent the holiday with a family friend who lives in Georgia. He was recovering from the coronavirus during this time last year.

"Traditions got put on hold," Cannon said. "(We) just missed out on the togetherness time."

As he stood in downtown Panama City on Monday with his son, John Jr., Cannon said they planned to continue those same traditions this year. For him, this was nothing short of "great."

"I'm a people person, (and) I'm a hugger by nature, so it's nice," Cannon said.

With COVID-19 cases lessening and related restrictions declining, Parker McClellan, executive director of Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport, said upcoming flight schedules at his facility show many people — like the Cannons — are once again traveling for Thanksgiving.

McClellan also said that while the airport was well into its "recovery phase" last Thanksgiving, passenger numbers still were down compared to past years.

"Based on our numbers for the last 10 to 12 months and the (current) booking ... there will be a lot of people traveling," McClellan said. "That means there are regular travelers and those who (maybe) haven't traveled in a couple years.

"We're anticipating that it is going to be a very good long weekend."

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Bay County residents excited to travel for Thanksgiving after COVID-19