MUSKEGON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Modern technology allows people to check on each other no matter the number of miles between them.
In some cases, that ability distracts neighbors from checking on each other.
At Park Meadows in Muskegon Township, residents now have green and red signal cards to display in the window of their home.
Green to signal everything in the home is good.
"If they need assistance of any kind then they put the red one in and we go to the door to find out what they need," Patti Joslin said.
"Maybe they just need to talk to somebody because they're anxious," Mary Obzut added.
The two neighbors passed out nearly 300 signal cards to Park Meadows residents, and they're ready to try and take care of needs member of their community might have.
"A prescription picked up, do they need food," Joslin said.
"It's important to know that somebody does care about them," Obzut said.
The two women learned of the low-tech signal card system from online reports about Italians dealing with the COVID-19.
To date Muskegon County has three confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Joslin and Obzut are recruiting willing neighbors to check Park Meadows for red signals multiple times each day of Michigan's shelter-in-place order.
"Because I would hope somebody would care about me," Joslin said. "I have one in my window and if I would have to put a red one up I would hope somebody would come check on me."
The women would like to see other neighborhoods duplicate what they're doing.
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