“I had a little Bird

Its name was Enza

I opened up the window and

In flew Enza”

In 1918 a terrible world flu outbreak occurred. In America alone, over 600,000 folks passed.

Dr. Joseph Smiddy shared with me that he had asked his great aunt about the times and the impact on folks in his home of Lee County (Joe also talked about walking through local cemeteries and seeing many dates of death in the year 1918). The impact was widespread and we pray that we do not see the numbers of 1918 repeated.

So leave it up to kids to skip rope in 1918 to the little refrain (above) about a bird named Enza. Children have a way of reminding us that life is precious and while there are threats, we must keep our focus on living life. (Check out PBS American Experience Episode about the 1918 Flu Epidemic)

While much of the talk about uncertainty is well, in itself – uncertain, there is one thing that is certain.

A Bank that survived the 1918 Flu Epidemic (we were 30 years in existence then) and 29 economic recessions and depressions will be here after another crisis. We are, and will always be, a stable force in the communities we serve.

– Leton

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“Letters From Leton” is a blog series comprised of the weekly updates that Leton Harding – President, Chairman, and CEO of Powell Valley National Bank, shares with the Bank’s team members. These newsletters are full of uplifting anecdotes and intriguing insights that are applicable beyond the Bank, so we want to share them with you.