DUVALL, Wash. — In Duvall, one man is making it his business to stop the spread of panic during the coronavirus pandemic by putting a smile on as many faces as possible.
“What’s a grown man doing in a costume, pink flamingo inflatable costume on the side of the road?” said Greg Garat, as he stood on Main Street in Duvall in a flamingo costume holding a sign that describes what he's offering: free smiles.
“I’m just giving away free smiles. Turns out there was a shortage of them, and I had extra so I figured I’d give them away,” he explained.
Garat has seen the impacts of the virus firsthand.
“I actually work in the fire department,” said Garat, a battalion chief at Woodinville Fire and Rescue.
The virus, according to Garat, isn’t only spreading germs-- it’s spreading fear.
“It’s sad for us to see the people that we’re caring for be nervous and anxious and families are, too,” he said.
The pandemic is wreaking havoc on small businesses.
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“We’ve got a good group of people that are looking out for each other,” Garat said, listing off the names of business owners in Duvall.
Celeste Dorn is one of those names on Garat's list. She works at Duvall Flowers & Gifts.
“Actually, all the flowers that are going out today are get well flowers,” Dorn said.
On Sunday, Dorn decided to close the shop to the public.
The flower shop is still making deliveries but they are also asking customers not to come into the store.
However, on the street corner across from the shop, there's a glimmer of hope in downtown Duvall and it comes in the form of a giant pink flamingo.
“It’s just something to make you smile, to just lighten the tension I think is really, really good,” she said.
“I’m actually doing community medicine. Turns out, smiles are more contagious than a virus,” Garat said.