Often at the end of the year, the editor of The Beachcomber thanks all the people who have contributed to the paper over the previous 12 months. It’s become a tradition, and I think a good one.
The end of the year is a long way off, but since stepping into the editor position in November — and making it official in January — I have often thought that community journalism feels like a team sport, albeit one with too much sitting. There has been a lot of transition here at the paper in recent months, and the value of community members stepping in to help has been clear to me over and over. I feel enormously grateful for all who have done so, and I want to say thank you again now, even though the cherry trees are blooming outside our office door, and the traditional season of giving thanks is a long way off.
Our time of transition began last November, when Anneli Fogt left her position as editor. Just two weeks ago, longtime Arts Editor Juli Goetz Morser also moved on after working here for more than four years. It has been a challenging time, but what stands out to me is the community members who have stepped in to help tell the island’s stories, week in and week out. Some longtime Beachcomber readers might have noticed former Arts Editor Liz Shepherd’s name in the paper recently. She has helped in myriad ways, including covering some of the developments with Vashon Center for the Arts earlier this year and writing this week’s front page story on island artist Steffon Moody. She is not the only previous Beachcomber employee to lend a hand in recent months: Former editor Leslie Brown has offered considerable advice and even slipped in late some evenings to proofread pages and drop off dinner. And following the theme of getting the old team back together, former Beachcomber reporter Amelia Heagerty, who left eight years ago, has stepped back in to serve as the interim arts editor.
Many others have helped as well. I happen to know that Lauri Hennessey wrote her column on this page on Easter, when she certainly had better things to do. In an extraordinary act of generosity, Kent Phelan has provided us with a treasure trove of photos, each one more beautiful than the last. Countless others have helped as well, taking the time to write a letter to the editor or a commentary — contributing to vitally important parts of the paper that only exist because people take time to share their thoughts with us. Several people have offered to freelance — we will be calling if we have not so far! — and others have called us up with news tips or patiently answered questions, sometimes at odd hours, as we have worked to share the island’s news.
The support we have experienced in recent months has been both extremely heartening and incredibly helpful. To each person who has assisted in large or small ways, we say a sincere thank you. We look forward to telling more of the island’s stories in the weeks and months ahead — together with you.
— Susan Riemer
