When the going gets tough, the saying goes, the tough get going. Seldom, if ever, has this clever chiasmus been more self-evident than in 2020. For those workers deemed "essential," this means suiting up and going to work when most people get to wait out the COVID-19 pandemic in the comfort and safety of their homes. From first responders and healthcare workers to the unsung heroes stocking shelves and pumping gas, everyone working on the metaphorical front line of the crisis deserves our utmost gratitude. Now, a ping-pong club in Detroit is saying thanks by offering free play for these working-class heroes. At Pong Detroit, a start-up table tennis club in Detroit's Eastern Market, any frontline worker with ID can get a free hour of play to work out some stress on the club's new Butterfly tables. Pong Detroit had the bad fortune to open in January, just before the world shut down due to the pandemic. Despite the initial failure to launch, the startup has stayed involved in the community. They run a program for inner city youth at Clark Park, and are developing other outreach programs for seniors and disabled veterans. On October 20, the club officially reopened its doors to the public, with strict pandemic protocols to protect the safety of those who come to play. For the rest of the month, those who protect our safety can enjoy a small token of our immeasurable collective gratitude. Now, the tough can get going to a richly deserved round of rest and relaxation at Pong Detroit.

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