As a reporter, I enjoy engaging with the community and learning new things that push me out of my comfort zone.
In the past year, I’ve gone on many adventures with my fellow Pearl River County residents and wouldn’t have it any other way. Storytelling is a passion of mine, which is why I got into journalism in the first place. I love speaking to residents and sources and understanding who they are and why they do what they do.
Learning about them gives me the tools necessary to write a story representing them as best as possible and sharing it with the community.
While I speak to many people over the phone on a daily basis, my favorite assignments are those for which I get to venture out in the community and speak to people one-on-one.
In May of last year, I got the chance to voyage down the Hobolochitto Creek with members of the Friends of Boley to clean up the natural resource.
The journey was nearly three hours long on a canoe, and while we encountered several obstacles along the way, I was able to witness firsthand the dedication of the members who work hard to preserve and beautify the creek every year.
A couple of months later, I learned where honey came from during an interview with a beekeeper, Michael Holmes, who operates a bee sanctuary in his backyard.
As a person who has managed to get by 23 years without being stung by a bee, I didn’t want that day to change my track record.
However, my fear of the insects turned into an appreciation for them when I saw how passionate Holmes was about his bees.
While I won’t become a beekeeper or start canoeing as a hobby anytime soon, these experiences brought me out of my comfort zone and closer to the community that I cover.
If you or someone you know has an interesting story to share, contact us.
We’d love to get to know more of the people that make up Pearl River County.