{"id":19125,"date":"2021-01-06T06:39:50","date_gmt":"2021-01-06T10:39:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelaker.ca\/?p=19125"},"modified":"2021-01-06T06:39:50","modified_gmt":"2021-01-06T10:39:50","slug":"column-one-year-ago-the-journey-began","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/?p=19125","title":{"rendered":"COLUMN: One year ago the journey began"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One year ago, I was excited for QMJHL Deadline Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One year ago, I was happy to be back to work after a well-deserved and relaxing 20-day vacation for the Christmas holidays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sadly, one year ago also ended up being the most devastating day (prior to April 18\/19) in my life when unexpectedly the job I had with The Weekly Press and The Laker was terminated. My employer, Advocate Media, decided to close both community newspapers, impacting our three staff members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It hurt. It hurt a lot. A job I loved and had so much passion for was gone in a blink of an eye after a suddenly-called meeting in Dartmouth. I really knew nothing but reporting on the stories in our communities of East Hants, Beaver Bank and Fall River.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But one year ago, is also when the journey that is now The Laker News began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the papers were closed, I was given the Facebook pages\/Twitter pages, and websites for both papers to make a go of it as a digital only news website, if I wanted too. It was something that had been in the back of my mind for a bit, but I had employment so never needed to give it more then a second thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I was still hurting, feeling shocked at the news that had rocked my world and brought an end to 11 years covering the news as a reporter for The Weekly Press and The Laker, the wheels started moving as I read all the awesome, supportive comments on both FB and Twitter, and the many texts I received.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even today, I am still incredibly grateful for Advocate Media for the last 11 years allowing me to do the job I love. I hold no ill will, and I hope they know that. They gave me an opportunity to do this job at my hometown paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But as they say when one door closes, another opens. Well, it certainly did, and I have not looked back. It\u2019s almost like it was meant to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the help of two investors, I rebranded as The Laker News, launching on March 30. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of March 2020, we hit the website live as our own entity The Laker News, with me covering East Hants news in a small category section, while keeping both Facebook pages alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The support has been overwhelming, so much so I have had to find more ad space on the website to be able to get all of the ads in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One year ago, the journey as The Laker News began. One year ago, my life changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While I was devastated initially, the more I look back the more it becomes clear that one year ago became almost like the best day of my life. It put me out as working for someone, and when I became my own boss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am proud of the journey that the past year and looking forward to the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s been a challenging road, especially given we opened during the COVID19 pandemic and the months of April and May, which I will never want to remember.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But one year ago, happened for a reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you for your support. Here\u2019s to a long future ahead of covering the community\u2019s news!<\/p>\n\n\n\n