JACKSON COUNTY, Mo. — The sights and sounds of Labor Day weekend didn't change much at Longview Lake during the coronavirus pandemic.
"I enjoy coming out here to this lake," said visitor Paul Winters.
It's a lake attracting a lot of people on a beautiful Sunday.
"More people on the lake because they’re restricted in doing things," Winters said. "Actually, boat sales have gone up, more people have flocked to the lake this year, I believe."
For this unofficial end of summer, people told 41 Action News they like to visit places like Longview Lake to clear their mind and said it's a huge stress reliever.
"It just feels good because this is the first time I’ve had off since Christmas," said Josh Sonsiadek who was visiting the lake. "So people's level of stress is a lot higher."
Jennifer Green had similar thoughts.
"This is my first time to be able to be out and relax in the lake and have a good time with family," she said.
It's a weekend this couple who works in the medical field wants to be labor-free so they are able to enjoy spending time with one another.
"Being out and enjoying some family time and leaving the stresses of the emergency department away is incredibly helpful right now," Green said.
Others are out celebrating birthdays, which look a little different this year.
"No big parties, no big gatherings," lake visitor Grand Conrad said, "us yelling each other at the bars and spraying particles all over each other, can’t do that anymore."
But another visitor at Longview Lake said the coronavirus pandemic has made people value each other more.
"I think it definitely brought us a lot closer," Brittany Echols said, "made me value spending time with my family a lot more."
As these families ride a wave of uncertainty, they hope the tide will change soon with this pandemic.
"This was originally supposed to be a two-week ordeal back in February and here we are seven months later," Sonsiadek said.
