It is not just a job..

Happy New Year to all of you and I hope you have a prosperous one as well.

It has been almost three years since I have been back at the newspaper. I will have to agree with the old saying that time really does fly when you are having a good time.

Those years really flew by for me and I can truthfully say I have had a good time being the publisher of our county newspaper.

Someone made the comment the other day that it is just a job; I beg to differ with them. It is not just a job. At this particular time in my life it is who I am and the title carries a lot of responsibility.

The county newspaper has a big responsibility to the community in reporting the news accurately and informing the public to what is happening, not to mention all the other things such as who is getting married or engaged or who had a birthday or who made the honor roll and oh yes…who hit a homerun or scored a touchdown at the game this week.

The county newspaper is very important to the county and our newspaper has been around for a long time, even though it has had a few name changes and a couple of different owners, it has been here since the 1800’s.

I started working for the Advertizer-Herald in 1992 when Carl and Betty Kilgus owned it and from the very first day I was amazed at what I saw taking place. Everyone was running around like little bees doing their job and I don’t think I was even noticed.

I never dreamed what all took place in that building called ‘Kilgus Printing’ trying to get a newspaper published.

But it did not take me long to figure out that it definitely was not just a job and I sure did have a lot to learn if I was going to keep up with these people. I was getting a little worried because, I have always worked at my own pace which was kind of slow and this was a fast paced environment.

Well, thank goodness, The Kilgus's (Carl, Betty and Cindy) did not give up on me. After a couple of months, I started to pick up my pace and fit right in with the rest of them. Thank goodness for what they taught me or I would not be here today, getting your paper out to you.

Yes, I have learned a lot about the newspaper business since 1992. I have learned that it takes lot of hard work and dedication to get that paper to the press every week. I have learned that it takes a good team of employees working together as one to meet that deadline every week. I have learned that it takes a community filled with people in it that care. People that get that news to us that we would other wise miss. It does take a village.

Every week when that paper comes rolling off the press and I look at it, I am filled with a sense of pride knowing that we have put out another issue of the Advertizer-Herald… another issue of our county’s newspaper filled with pages of history for our readers to enjoy long after I am gone.

No…it is not just a job…it is about a newspaper reaching out to its readers every week trying to make a difference.