WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - There are both national and local efforts underway to help restaurants survive the economic disruptions of the coronavirus pandemic.

Winter Haven residents Kim Harris and Bonnie Parker started a Facebook group called Rally Around Our Restaurants. It encourages residents to get take out meals since customers can’t dine in. “It was something that was important to us,” said Harris. “We love our restaurants and we just want to keep them going.”

Rally Around Our Restaurants started a week ago and it already has 6,000 members. It is also encouraging customers to buy gift cards that they can use later to help the businesses with cash flow. 

Dozens of people turned up Tuesday at the Twisted Prop Bar and Grill Tuesday to get take out orders from their boats. The restaurant has docks in the back on Lake May, which is part of the Winter Haven chain of Lakes. 

“We’re killing two birds with one stone. We go boating, have lunch and then go boating again,” said customer Kevin Ward. “And help people we know.”

Tuesday was also The Great American Take Out Day. Restaurants around the country asked people to do take out orders. 

Angela Burton with the Twisted prop was grateful for all the encouragement. “Very much so,” s​he said. I’ve lived in Winter Haven forever and I have a small business, a restaurant that has been hit by this. And yet what they have done has helped to counteract that.”