Last Friday marked a two-year anniversary of a very special day for me. A day that had me excited and scared as I knew I would be embarking on a journey that would change my career for the better. That was the day when I was offered a job at the Athabasca Advocate.
On that day, a soon to be 21-year-old photo kid from Ontario was fist pumping on a busy Vancouver sidewalk after getting an offer he did not expect to get so soon after graduating, and ready to embrace a brand new community.
Two years later, I now find myself saying goodbye to that same amazing community, and rest assured there were more tears than fist pumps.
I don’t use the word amazing lightly when describing this place. Being in my position, I have had first hand experience with all the wonderful and unique volunteer events that it has to offer all while growing my experience as a journalist.
Events like the Magnificent River Rats Festival, the Wildberry Festival, Rotary Club’s Dinner Theatre, Amber Valley chicken suppers, and the Athabasca College Hockey Challenge just to name a few. All of these are run by incredible people, and I’m going to miss everyone that I’ve ever had the pleasure of interviewing or photographing during these events. Without you, I never would have had the great experience I do now.
As the saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Well, I was no child when I arrived here, but this community has certainly helped me grow into the award-winning photojournalist and person that I am today. So this goes out to everyone I’ve had the pleasure of knowing within this amazing place.
Thank you for making taking me into your community and making me a part of it. Whether it was allowing me to teach photography to students, calling me up for a potential story idea or upcoming event, offering me food during a great supper or simply shouting “Hey, it’s the newspaper guy!” you exemplify everything that a small community should be.
To my past and present work colleagues, thanks for being mentors and helping me grow. You really helped make an already great community newspaper into something even better and it was my pleasure to be a part of that.
On that note, I’d just like to say goodbye Athabasca and thank you for everything you have given me these past two years.
