Dec. 30, 2020

This year definitely wasn’t all bad.

You welcomed new children and grandchildren, celebrated marriages, anniversaries and milestone birthdays.

You got in some memorable vacations far from home in the first couple of months of the year and found other fun getaways closer to it as the year went on.

You played a lot of golf, made a lot of Zoom calls and spent a lot of time with family.

And looking back, those formed some of your best memories of 2020.

That’s according to a new survey from SiouxFalls.Business and the Augustana Research Institute.

Those and other insights on how the Sioux Falls community is responding to the pandemic at this stage came from 500 readers who responded to the open survey, conducted from Dec. 13-23. It is not a scientific survey, but it does include representation from all age groups. Respondents were 55 percent female and 45 percent male.

The survey respondents skewed slightly older than our previous two surveys, with 62 percent of respondents reporting they are 50 or older.

Our respondents also reflect a few populations. They are most likely English speakers. They are more likely to own a home. And they likely are engaged with news, or they would not have found the survey. So keep those things in mind to avoid thinking this survey should stand as representative for the entire community.

Here, in your own words, are some of Sioux Falls’ best memories of 2020:

“Getting married in a pandemic and getting to adopt my stepson. The pandemic can’t ruin that kind of joy no matter what.”

“A friend surviving COVID after being hospitalized for five months and in rehab for two months.”

“Life is simpler now. Families spend more quality time together.”

“Having our daughter and getting more time with my husband when she was born.”

“FaceTiming Thanksgiving dinner. Made 10-course meal and packaged and delivered to daughters’ garage. Went back home and FaceTimed eating.”

“2020 has been filled with positive things. Learning a new business, being nominated for EmBe recognition, and overall my friends and family have been healthy even if they got COVID. Spending time with my spouse going to the arboretum in the spring or Sundays going for drives. Getting back to simple things, making good memories.”

“Road trips to Colorado to hike the beautiful mountains and honestly hearing we have a vaccine available.”

“Helping people with PPP loans when they were scared over the shutdown.”

“Reciting the Lord’s Prayer corporately at socially distanced Fourth of July picnic — after not participating in it since mid-March when the church that I attend closed.”

“Living through COVID with integrity, safety and optimism. Working in health care. It’s humbling, rewarding and uplifting.”

“Got a new puppy!”

“As hard as it’s been with trying to balance work and kids, it’s been nice having more time at home with my child.”

“My granddaughter being baptized in her own backyard while churches were closed.”

“Opened a storefront business amidst all COVID happening.”

“Getting a drive-by blessing from Father Morgan at the Cathedral during Easter.”

“The Sanford International golf tournament and seeing all the people having fun being together.”

“A deepened friendship with neighbors we chose to include in our COVID circle of trusted exposure.”

“Helping create a program that gave employees money to spend locally in support of small businesses.”

“Having a church family caring for each other and the community … and praying with a prayer partner distantly, even though we aren’t physically together.”

“A Zoom family gathering that lasted several hours to honor my nephew’s 50th birthday. He lives in California and others lived all over.”

“Impromptu family Olympics at home — with plenty of beer and wine — because we couldn’t go anywhere.”

“When my son came back into my life after being out of it for 28.5 years because I gave into the pressure to give him up for adoption. Now we’re working to re-establish our relationship because I had full custody of him (only) for the first year of his life.”

“Watching my daughter sing her very first solo during a chorus concert I was able to watch streaming. So thankful for technology during this time. Also watching my son score a goal in a soccer game and my 2-year-old starting to speak in sentences.”

“Virtual events: livestreamed concerts, a live canvas painting class, video tours of historic places and museums.”

“Taking a staycation with our kids for a week this summer. We boated, played games, watched movies, spent a lot of time on the lake and generally enjoyed our time with no other commitments such as sports, camps, etc. to work around.”

“I more than doubled my garden and enjoyed taking time to be home, focus on it as a hobby and can a ton of salsas and sauces.”

“More time spent with my husband as we are both working from home and more outdoor activities together: golf, exploring the Palisades, Good Earth and other area parks as well as rides all over the local back roads and the Hills in our UTV.”

“The family time that never would have happened without COVID requiring shelter-in-place. My husband, with time on his hands due to unemployment, was able to drive out to NYC and pick up our 25-year-old son who would have been in an apartment alone. Our daughter, just finishing her master’s degree, now living with us. All four of us under the same roof for five weeks. We reconnected on a deeper level, had so much fun and laughter, and found our own island of joy in the midst of all that was going on.”

Sioux Falls residents weigh in on COVID-19 response, masking, vaccinations