Tag: COVID-19

Loma de Vida Spa & Wellness expands services

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La Cantera Resort & Spa. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Loma de Vida Spa & Wellness at La Cantera Resort & Spa announced today that it is expanding its services as phase two of its Tranquil Transitions reopening. In addition to hair and nail appointments, guests can now select 60-minute massage and facial treatments.  Quenche Juicery will be available with a new menu of healthy bites and re-imagined juice blends and cocktails. (Loma de Vida Spa & Wellness, 2020)

Loma de Vida’s Tranquil Transitions initiative includes social distancing, sanitization efforts, contact-free services where applicable and many more. These protocols follow the guidance provided by the CDC, industry associations and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations, therefore limiting occupancy levels in the Spa. Reservations are required and no additional guests will be allowed.

Before entering Loma de Vida, guests will receive a touch-free temperature reading; if your temperature is 100 degrees or higher, spa personnel will request you to reschedule after 14 days post fever. All guests will be required to wear masks. Additionally, the Spa’s Pool and Gym is limited to 50 percent capacity.

Loma de Vida’s Tranquil Transitions initiative for the wellbeing of associates and our guests includes:

  • Community Care Coordinators to assist guests with physical distancing reminders and application of sanitizer to high touch surfaces
  • Gentle reminder signage encouraging hand washing and social distancing
  • Masks are required in all areas of the facility except on the pool deck or in the Solarium and they will be required during Massage; gloves also will be offered
  • The Saline Vitality Pool and Himalayan Salt Stone Sauna, along with the lovely patio and resting areas will be open in the Solarium.  The Steam Room will be closed until further notice.

There will be no cash transactions and all retail sales are final with a no return policy. Associates will assist in gathering items in the retail boutique. Moving forward you will not be allowed to have food, glass bottles, or electronic devices in the solarium.

La Cantera Resort & Spa is situated on a 550-acre tranquil oasis near the city’s finest attractions including shopping, dining, amusement parks, the River Walk and Hill Country adventures.  Discover inspiring settings at the resort’s five sparkling pools, two championship golf courses, Loma de Vida Spa & Wellness – a 25,000 sq. ft. destination spa and 12 incredible dining options. La Cantera Resort & Spa presents an unparalleled level of relaxed sophistication.  The 496-room resort offers an insightful concierge staff to help uncover authentic San Antonio experiences, activities for young travelers and private pool cabañas. The Villas feature 34 highly appointed guest rooms and suites nestled within the Hill Country. A boutique resort experience coupled with the benefits of a full luxury resort. SEVEN, a 46-room “adults only” guest floor experience includes complimentary valet, personal concierge, private check-in and pool access for guests 21 and over.

Whataburger delivery now available in San Antonio

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San Antonio’s Whataburger fans can now have their favorite burgers delivered. Courtesy photo, used with permission. 

Whataburger has always delivered made-to-order burgers and now in San Antonio, the brand is proud to take customer favorites just a little further – right to their front door. As one of the first cities to roll out delivery, locals can conveniently satisfy their cravings with delivery as an option on Whataburger’s app and online. Orders will be delivered through a third-party service and bags will be sealed. (Whataburger, 2020)

Beginning next week, delivery will be available across Whataburger’s 10-state footprint.

How to enjoy delivery:

  1. Place your order
  2. Select your pickup method
  3. Add your delivery address
  4. Set your delivery time
  5. Confirm and pay
  6. Kick back and relax

Customers who create an account will also start earning rewards to get free food and gain exclusive access to amazing Whataburger deals and offers – including buy one Whataburger online, get one free at participating locations through May 25. In addition to the new delivery option, Whataburger locations will continue serving customers through the drive-thru and curbside pickup.

Whataburger has been making burgers since 1950 when Harman Dobson opened a humble hamburger stand in Corpus Christi, Texas.  He wanted customers to take one bite and say, “What a burger” so he named his stand on Ayers St “Whataburger.” Whataburger now has over 800 locations across the country and continues to deliver fresh, made to order meals every day with superior customer service.  Community support includes charitable giving and volunteerism to nonprofit organizations that focus on children’s charities, cancer research, hunger assistance, disaster relief and military support.

VIA and San Antonio Food Bank announce partnership

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Photo: google

VIA and the San Antonio Food Bank are partnering to help make sure homebound residents do not go hungry during these challenging times. VIA operators are currently delivering meals and supplies prepared by Food Bank staff and volunteers to homes and distribution points Monday through Friday throughout San Antonio. (San Antonio Food Bank, 2020)

Since VIA joined the Food Bank’s mission to “fight hunger and feed hope,” operators have distributed more than 650 food packages to nearly 500 locations throughout the city. VIA has continued to operate transit service in a safe environment as part of its COVID-19 response that includes a fare-relief period for all VIA services through April 30 and safe capacity limits on its buses and vans to help maintain social distancing for passengers and operators.

The San Antonio Food Bank serves an estimated 60,000 individuals each week in one of the largest service areas in Texas. That was before the coronavirus shuttered hundreds of businesses and thousands of jobs, leaving many with little resources and few options.

The immense need for local food assistance became abundantly clear when 10,000 people formed long lines and waited several hours to receive rations from the Food Bank’s popup distribution at Trader’s Village on Thursday, April 9. Volunteers and City staff handed out one million pounds of food that day—just one of several distributions the Food Bank staged last week.

VIA’s collaboration with the Food Bank marks the launch of its VIA Cares Program, an extension of its effort to connect our community by organizing available resources to help make ends meet for neighbors in need. Other VIA Cares initiatives that kicked off this month focus on providing Wi-Fi access for students through a partnership with the City of San Antonio, San Antonio Housing Authority and San Antonio ISD and matching VIA volunteers with opportunities to serve. More about VIA’s crisis response is available online.

VIA will continue to deliver food bank supplies as long as resources are available. If you are home bound and in need of food, please call the San Antonio Food Bank at (210) 431-8326 to pre-register or click the link at the Food Bank’s home page and sign up online.

“So many are suffering and struggling in this new environment of COVID-19. Our partnership with VIA and VIAtrans will ease the hunger pains of seniors and those with disabilities by bringing grocery products and household supplies right to their doorstep. This type of innovation and partnership is San Antonio at its finest.” Eric Cooper, President/CEO of the San Antonio Food Bank

Therapy dog helps frontline workers via FaceTime

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Ricochet the therapy dog. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

* Contains update – originally published April 16, 2020 *

In times of crisis, therapy dogs are usually called upon to provide comfort and healing. But now, due to social distancing and quarantine, animal assisted therapy programs have been suspended. Surfing therapy dog Ricochet is offering FREE canine therapy to those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic through FaceTime and virtual canine therapy. Doctors, nurses, other healthcare workers, first responders and essential workers can take a few minutes to lower their stress and anxiety with Ricochet. To schedule a FaceTime call, email Ricochet’s guardian Judy Fridono or if time is limited, visit Ricochet and her therapy dog crew online. (Pawsitive Teams, 2020)

Ricochet is a certified therapy dog with Pawsitive Teams and they have joined forces to provide Virtual Canine Therapy. This partnership directly addresses the mental health crisis affecting essential workers. Ricochet is one of ten certified, goal-oriented therapy dogs that participate in Canine Inspired Community Reintegration (CICR) program, a collaboration with Naval Medical Center San Diego. The dogs have more than eight years of experience providing human-animal intervention, under the guidance of an experienced recreational therapist, for active duty service members recovering from PTSD, moral injury, anxiety and other mental health challenges. Eye contact is one of the anxiety-reducing techniques used. Gazing into a dog’s eyes stimulates the release of oxytocin—a hormone associated with positive, happy feelings. After receiving long gazes from a dog, a person’s level of oxytocin increases, thus reducing stress and anxiety.

To assess the scientific validity of the effects of eye contact between a human and a dog, Ricochet, Fridono and an army veteran with PTSD participated in a study at Duke University’s Canine Cognition Center with research scientist Dr. Brian Hare. Researchers have already determined that looking at photos of nature for 30 to 60 seconds reduces stress. Similarly, hundreds of individuals who have participated in the virtual canine therapy program have reported they felt a calm, connected state of being. Cultivating these moments allows for deep experiences of connection regardless of whether physical contact is made. All you need are a human and a dog with open eyes . . . and open hearts.

It is critical to recognize that the Covid-19 pandemic is a source of great physical, psychological and emotional distress for front line workers as well as individuals and communities around the world. There will likely be doctors, nurses and others who will need treatment for anxiety, stress, depression, PTSD and more resulting from this crisis. Then there is the rest of the world that is feeling the panic of losing jobs, being ordered to stay home, the unfathomable reality of not being there when a loved one passes, and the like.

Addendum:

There is a lot we can do to support each other during these times as well. Even if you can’t meet up in person, whether due to Covid-19 or for another reason, you can still use face time to check up on your friends and family, especially those in frontline positions. Even if you just call them up and chat, with a few of the best canned cocktails you can find on hand, it can help. But there’s something wonderful about therapy dogs being used, no matter what the circumstance.

The proactive steps of Ricochet and Pawsitive Teams offering virtual canine therapy with eye gazing will support healthcare workers, essential workers, and the world at large now, as well as into the future. The best part is it can be done on any computer or mobile device connected to the internet and it only takes a couple of minutes. Stressed individuals can take a quick break from the chaos and find themselves less anxious after engaging in the program.

“At a time when dogs could be truly valuable resources, we’re thinking outside the box in an effort to offer some form of canine therapy to the millions of people around the world who need it.” Judy Fridono.

Twin Liquors enhances safety guidelines

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Twin Liquors has installed social distancing markers in an effort to keep customers safe. Photo: Twin Liquors, used with permission. 

Twin Liquors, committed to its team members and community, has been working on enhanced guidelines to ensure the safety of all customers and staff members. Over the last three weeks, Twin Liquors has expanded to over 40 stores to offer delivery and in-store pick-up in addition to implementing extra safety precautions and preparedness in every store across Texas. All Twin Liquors locations will remain open Monday through Saturday with modified hours from 11a.m. to 8p.m. (Twin Liquors, 2020)

Other safety measures include Plexiglas “sneeze-guards” for protection between the cash register and counter; safety signage, social distancing markers and reduced hours and the use of gloves and protective gear. The staff is also actively disinfecting the store on a regular basis.

The Texas-based family-owned liquor store has also expanded the online process. Originally providing delivery and online ordering for 12 locations, Twin Liquors is now offering e-commerce with delivery and in-store pick-up to 40+ stores varying by city, county and store location. Twin Liquors is currently serving most areas in Austin, Austin Metro, San Marcos and San Antonio; select areas of Houston; and select areas of Dallas (through Twin Liquors’ Sigel’s brand). This week, Twin Liquors also launched e-commerce to Georgetown, Killeen, New Braunfels, Temple, Victoria and Waco.

To shop with Twin Liquors, please visit the link here. To shop Sigel’s in Dallas, please use the link here. Customers are able to shop through the website or the Twin Liquors app, available to download on iOS and Android app stores. For a step-by-step video on how the ordering process can be done, please visit the links provided here – Twin Liquors and Sigel’s.

“Twin Liquors is committed to our team members and our communities. We are working diligently during this challenging time to balance the needs of the community and our staff while navigating through this uncertainty together. With that, we are continually updating safety procedures and are expanding e-commerce capabilities daily.” – David Jabour, president of Twin Liquors.

San Antonio Food Bank mega distribution sites

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Photo: google

The COVID-19 crisis continues to strain the donated food supply generally available to the San Antonio Food Bank. Limited donated food availability is demanding the Food Bank adapt its distribution methods to ensure equitable food access across the Food Bank’s 16-county service territory. The Food Bank is now consolidating the weekly mobile distributions it fulfills and supports during normal business operations to only a handful of “mega distribution sites” for the remainder of the COVID-19 response effort. (San Antonio Food Bank, 2020)

These mega distribution sites are intended to get emergency food to households in immediate need. The Food Bank hopes that its network of 500+ food pantries across the region, along with the many programs and services offered by the Food Bank will continue to meet ongoing needs.

Individuals seeking immediate help can sign up online for an upcoming mega distribution at or by calling the Food Bank’s helpline during normal business hours: 210-431-8326. Pre-registration is required.

This new distribution effort also means a new opportunity for volunteers to engage in acts of service during the COVID-19 crisis. Volunteers will be asked to follow the strict safety protocols put in place by the Food Bank as a response to this crisis. Those interested in volunteering at a public distribution can sign up online and click on “volunteer sign up.”