PUTNEY — Next Stage Arts Project and other participants around the country rang a bell at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday as part of a national memorial to honor the lives lost to the COVID-19 pandemic. Other local memorials included a bell-ringing at Epsilon Spires in Brattleboro. As of Tuesday, over 400,000 people nationwide have died from the virus.
“Next Stage has a unique feature with its restored bell,” Next Stage executive director Keith Marks said. “Tuesday’s memorial led by (then-)President-elect Biden was an opportunity to ring in solidarity with the nation as we reflect and mourn more than 400,000 deaths. The arts are a two-way mirror reflecting our society back to us as it also shapes our culture. We are proud to be an arts organization rooted in engagement, and we were glad we could be of service to our community during this time.”