Sometimes in life we are encouraged to leave our comfort zone and try something new. Such was the case when we were asked to serve on the Board of Directors for The Suffield Observer. “It’s only three meetings a year – and your term is just for three years.” Like everyone today, our commitment to family, church, town, and civic organizations, is somewhat overwhelming, and one more task added to our already busy lives seemed just a bit too much! However, as avid readers of the newspaper since its onset in 1999, we have appreciated and applauded this wonderful source of local town news. (Because we certainly don’t get much Suffield news in our major Connecticut publication!) So we, with some reservation, decided to give it the “old college try.” Although not unfamiliar with board or committee work, having been public school teachers in our past lives, we still entered our new job with some apprehension. At our first meeting we were greeted warmly by both familiar and new faces who seemed genuinely happy to have us on board. However, these folks seemed to know so much about the makings of a newspaper – from the reporting, layout, photography, advertising, technical and financial aspects, that we sat there quietly in awe, just listening, and questioning whether we even belonged in the room – and perhaps we had indeed made a mistake by accepting our positions as board members.
Well, to jump ahead a bit, here it is – September 2016, and our three year term on the Board of Directors is nearly at an end – and we are now WELL out of our comfort zone as we serve as your co-editors-of-the month for October, and as the saying goes, “what a ride it has been.”
Throughout our term we have met the nicest townspeople, all volunteers of various ages and backgrounds who have given and continue to give freely of their time and energy in order to provide for you the residents of Suffield, a newspaper of which you can be proud.
During our term we have learned some about the newspaper business, but more about our town and the people who make it work. We have enjoyed the company of the staff and volunteers and have developed a stronger appreciation of what can be accomplished with teamwork. We also realize how much we would have missed had we not had the opportunity to serve on the board of the Observer. We would sincerely encourage each reader of this paper to consider becoming involved in some way, large or small, as a part of this great group. Your participation would be greatly appreciated and the benefits you would receive in return would be priceless. You would become a part of what makes Suffield special.