I met a man. It was last Monday, my first day on the job as your new Clarkston News reporter, and come to think of it, I met a bunch of men, and women, too.
But this particular man struck something in me, and although he doesn’t know it, he helped me come quickly to the realization that I’m going to love working in this community, reporting on the what’s what and the who’s who here in Clarkston.
You see, ever since I received my degree in journalism and public relations from Madonna University in 2003, I’ve known that I wanted to write for a small newspaper, and for one simple reason: stuff matters. You matter. The people and the issues closest to your home and your heart, the things that are important in your life, they all matter.
And that’s what I liked about the Man from Clarkston. I could tell right off the bat that he’s the kind of guy who looks at something that needs fixing and thinks to himself ‘that matters.?
So without looking for fanfare or even acknowledgment, the Man from Clarkston stepped up and took on a small, quiet project that will ultimately make Clarkston a little bit better, a little bit nicer. He doesn’t expect anything in return for the time and energy he’s devoted to this project. He simply saw a need and recognized that no one else could — or would — do anything about it anytime time soon.
I met other people last week, too. I met a woman who didn’t apologize for not having all the answers to my questions, but assured me she’d get the job done. Like the Man, she also wants to be involved with her community, just because, for her, it’s the right thing to do when you love the place you live.
I met a guy who agreed with me, that we might want to count our blessings, because just looking through a stack of police reports can make your life feel thankfully normal.
I met quite a few people, all with interesting stories to tell, all wanting to talk about the things that matter to them. And that’s why I do what I do — it all matters to me, too.
So I’m here in the downtown office of the Clarkston News on Main Street, I’m settling in, and I want to hear from you. Tell me about the good stuff and the not so good. Tell me what matters in your life.
You can e-mail me at LauraLColvin@aol.com or call me here in the office at (248)625-3370.
Oh, and the Man from Clarkston? I can’t tell you about his little project just yet, because I said I’d keep it to myself for another week or so. But don’t worry, I’ll tell you. Soon.