Pam Kearns when she was 35 at the start of her career with the paper.
Pam Kearns when she was 35 at the start of her career with the paper.
While Pam Kearns’ role at The Horowhenua Chronicle has changed over the years, one thing has always remained the same – her love for the community.
Kearns is known affectionately as The Horowhenua Chronicle lady and is the longest-serving employee.
She was 35 when she started with Kerslake, Billens & Humphrey as a clerical assistant in the Commercial Printing Office assisting the person who was in sole charge at the time, she said.
After about two years her role changed to sole charge when the other person resigned.
The company moved into its current premises in Bristol St in 1990, she said.
“This was amazing as the old building in Oxford St (now Norca Rugs), was like a rabbit warren, every department was crammed in like sardines and there was so much space in the new building and lots of windows for natural light.”
The commercial printing side of the business was closed down in 1999, and Kearns was moved to the main office where she did several jobs that a newspaper office has.
“All manual of course, including debtors, creditors and wages. It involved an awful lot of handwriting.”
The biggest change was the introduction of computers, which Kearns found very scary at first, she said.
“Being a bit older I was not confident about mastering the change. Of course, it was like learning to ride a bike, it soon became automatic.
“I remember the first Christmas Parade in 1990 organised by The Horowhenua Chronicle.
“There were 100 children dressed as clowns in suits made by several Chronicle staff members. After they were all dressed and their faces painted there was a large suit that had been loaned by a member of the public left over. I spotted it and said to the office junior at the time, that’s big enough for both of us. It was a lightbulb moment, let’s do it! We had one leg each and one arm each and shuffled our way through the parade, we had a lot of fun that day.”
With the closure of The Horowhenua Chronicle, she said she would miss all the people she’s met over the years but takes comfort in the memories made.
“Especially some of the really funny episodes that have happened over the years, way too many to list.
“I’ll miss this place, it’s been half of my life. My colleagues are like a ‘work family’, we have shared the highs and lows and they are all younger than me, they have kept me young although sometimes I feel like I have become their mother and I have mopped up a few of their tears in my time.”
