Oral history interview with John and Carolyn Ritter
Title
Oral history interview with John and Carolyn Ritter
Description
John and Carolyn Ritter of Waterbury, Vermont, discuss their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. They note some circumstances that made the pandemic more positive for them than others, including that they do not have children. They comment on their access to outdoor resources (like state parks), financial resources (such as unemployment and stimulus checks), and free weekly testing through the Waterbury Ambulance Service. Carolyn Ritter explains changes in her work as a banquet server as the hospitality sector shuttered and then slowly reopened. More generally, they describe how they stayed connected with friends and family via Zoom and socially distanced outdoor activities. They also mention their experiences with vaccination and the two occasions when Carolyn Ritter contracted COVID but had minimal symptoms. The Ritters observe some lingering changes in their routine as Vermont moves beyond the pandemic. Specifically, they entertain more at home instead of going out since many of their favorite restaurants have not reopened or returned to pre-COVID hours.
John and Carolyn Ritter lived in Waterbury, Vermont, during the COVID-19 pandemic and at the time of this interview in 2024. At the outset of the pandemic, Carolyn Ritter was a banquet server at DoubleTree by Hilton in South Burlington, Vermont. She was laid off during the initial shut down of hotels and other businesses in March 2020. She returned to work in May 2021, but had to transition to a position as a busser as banquets were still not happening. John Ritter had previously worked at the University of Vermont, but retired in July 2019.
Sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services MA-251676-OMS-22.
John and Carolyn Ritter lived in Waterbury, Vermont, during the COVID-19 pandemic and at the time of this interview in 2024. At the outset of the pandemic, Carolyn Ritter was a banquet server at DoubleTree by Hilton in South Burlington, Vermont. She was laid off during the initial shut down of hotels and other businesses in March 2020. She returned to work in May 2021, but had to transition to a position as a busser as banquets were still not happening. John Ritter had previously worked at the University of Vermont, but retired in July 2019.
Sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services MA-251676-OMS-22.
Date
2024-02-13
Subject
Source
Collecting COVID-19: A Vermont Story Project
Identifier
AudioFileCOVID-054
Format
MP3
WAV
Type
Audio file
Rights
Permission to publish material from the Collecting COVID-19: A Vermont Story Project may be obtained from the Vermont Historical Society.
Interviewer
Bosek, Marcia Sue DeWolf
Interviewee
Ritter, Carolyn
Ritter, John
Duration
27 min., 41 sec.
Repository
Vermont Historical Society Library, 60 Washington Street, Barre, VT 05641-4215
Collection
Citation
“Oral history interview with John and Carolyn Ritter,” Digital Vermont: A Project of the Vermont Historical Society, accessed April 3, 2025, https://digitalvermont.org/vtcovid/AudioFileCOVID-054.