Update: The government has extended the shutdown until May 11.
We are staying home. At Ecogold, we have managed to ship all orders up to this point but have to put operations on hold as we fight to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. We are answering emails and accepting orders but cannot ship until the government tells us businesses can reopen.
We work and live in a densely populated area with three hospitals, one of which is treating most COVID-19 patients. I can see it from my window. It’s disheartening, but it wouldn’t be safe at this point to try to keep shipping, even from home. I take care of my mother and having couriers coming and going would be a risk. Business is important but people are irreplaceable.
How you can help
If you can, please place an order. The order you were going to place at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event. The saddle pad you were going to buy for your next horse show. The half pad you wanted for your birthday present. Please buy it now.
It will ship when we reopen. Your order will allow us to keep going and take care of our people until we can go back to work.
We’re a family business
We don’t outsource our production. Every single Ecogold saddle pad is made by hand right here, by workers that I greet every morning while walking towards my desk. The people my 18-year-old dachshund waves ‘goodbye’ to on our way out to lunch. Everyone laughs.
Ecogold was built from scratch and I trust our resilience and ability to bounce back. I also trust the equestrian community. Adversity and hard work is what’s for breakfast. We’ll come together and make it through this.
What we’re doing
This is the moment where reality hits the road. I’ve given up my salary and will use savings to support our staff financially through this crisis, as long as I can. It’s the right thing to do.
I applied for unemployment insurance yesterday. As an entrepreneur running a successful business, it’s humiliating to ask for a handout but it’s what needs to be done.
I lost my father, Ecogold’s founder, to cancer in October. I cannot imagine how distressing it would have been to not be allowed to visit him in the hospital. Not to be able to hug him or hold his hand during his final days. I don’t want anyone to have to experience that.
The nurses and health care professionals that took care of him were so wonderful. They were a ray of sunshine in our darkest days. They’re in harm’s way now.
We’re being asked to sacrifice ourselves, our livelihoods, to save other people’s lives. At Ecogold, we’re answering the call. It is extremely difficult and stressful but we’re going to do our part.
This is a moment in time. There will be horse shows again. We will go out and do the things we love again. Together, we’ll get through this.
Take care,
Patricia.
