Ohio Family Creates a Drive-Thru for the Lonely

Simply honk for a chat in Columbus, Ohio
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 7, 2020 2:44 PM CDT
Ohio Family Creates a Drive-Thru for the Lonely
Just honk for a chat.   (Getty Images)

Isolation was wearing hard on the Roush family to the point that 8-year-old Charlie said he was "losing his mind." That's when the Columbus, Ohio, family set up a "drive-thru chat," encouraging area residents to pull up their driveway so that mom Corrine, dad Matt, son Charlie, and 6-year-old daughter Louetta could chat with them through their living room window. "We've got a U-shaped driveway, so it's perfect," Corrine tells Entertainment Tonight, noting nearly 40 people have stopped by within the last week, including police officers, the children's teachers, and neighbors they've never before met. They aren't all drivers. Walkers, cyclists, and a motorcyclist have shown up, too.

A sign directs people to visit between 11am and 3pm, and honk to get the family's attention. "It doesn't matter what room of the house we're in, when we hear that beep, we come running to that window with huge smiles on our faces," Corrine says. "It's been such a light during what has felt like such a dark time." And not just for the family. "Several people have told us that it was the highlight of their day and it's just been so wonderful to be able to talk face-to-face," Corrine tells Tank's Good News. "FaceTime, Zoom, Skype have all been great aids in staying connected but there is just something about actually being in the presence of someone and spending time together." (More uplifting news stories.)

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