Working primarily from the region, I get to travel all over the Superior North area and interact with various communities, telling stories that are significant to them. It's amazing to see people's faces light up when they feel heard and their stories are shared.
I've been asked to come up with a top-five list of stories from this year, but I must admit, it's proving to be quite a challenge. There are just so many amazing stories in the region that I feel lucky to have been able to share with others.
Many towns have had an incredibly successful year, like Marathon: they managed to accomplish some incredible projects in just two weeks, including breaking ground on a $1.35 million pebble beach project and building an $11 million facility to house all of the town's equipment and mechanical shops.
Other municipalities took the time to stop and recognize the hard work that goes into building a community. For instance, Greenstone renamed their airport after former mayor Renald Y. Beaulieu, who played a key role in connecting the various communities within the municipality.
With honouring the past comes the celebration of the future and new beginnings, especially for Animbiigoo Zaagi'igan Anishinaabek who broke ground on its first residential area after many years of hard work and planning. This is a massive accomplishment for the community and marks the beginning of being able to house members on reserve.
In my work, I've also been allowed to travel to Thunder Bay to cover stories in the city and participate in events that aim to aid the community, like raising money for the United Way to save Rock94’s Ted Jessop from the Thunder Bay Lighthouse. It was a great opportunity to get back to the city and meet amazing people along the way.
As the year was coming to an end, I got to attend the Holiday Train event, which holds a special place in my heart, just like it does for many others. It was such a joy to meet the train in Nipigon, where I used to meet it as a child. But what made it even more special was that I raced with the train to Thunder Bay to make sure I could capture the magic of it entering the city. It was truly a magical experience!
Those were just some of the incredible stories I've been able to cover this year, and I look forward to what 2024 decides to bring us!