On June 12, 2014, WhitewaterNews.ca was published for the first time with me, Connie Tabbert, as editor and Joe Kowalski as publisher.
On May 2, 2019, I published my final edition of Whitewater News – the 248th issue.
Megan Chase has now taken care and control of Whitewater News as the new editor.
Whitewater News came about 18 months after the demise of the local paper. Joe wanted a way of keeping residents informed of what’s happening in the township and called me, asking if I would be the editor of a new newspaper – the Whitewater News.
I was happy he asked me to be a part of the paper .. not realizing how big a job it would grow to be. I loved all of it, from writing stories, taking photos, layout, designing ads, uploading and even delivering the papers.
But, a recent message sent to me about the poor coverage of the flood from a well-respected member of the community made me realize my heart isn’t in the paper as much as it once was. Therefore, instead of letting the paper fail, which in turn means I failed, I did what Joe did. I called someone I knew who was just as enthusiastic at keeping the community informed as I was when I started out.
Megan will grow to love reporting what’s happening in the Whitewater community, just as I have done since arriving in 2003. However, I’ve been reporting since March 1990, first as a co-op student at The Hanover Post, and then a full-time employee. Due to a lengthy strike by college teachers, it was agreed that any student who was hired at their co-op placement would be guaranteed a graduation – and that’s what happened to me.
I won’t be far, as I’ll still be living on the Queens Line farm with hubby Tim. I’m going back to milking cows for Glenda and Rob. And my volunteer work with the Whitewater Historical Society, Whitewater Bromley Community Health Centre, Grace United Church and the UCW, as well as the Renfrew County National Farmers Union will keep me busy.
Who knows, I may even cover an event or two or three or… so Megan can have time off or gets to busy.
Megan, take the Whitewater News and run with it!!
