The final Midweek of the year

Comment:

As we plummet towards the end of yet another eventful year, it's time to reflect, look ahead, and count the blessings bestowed on Midweek by all who contributed this year, some regular, some occasional, some just once.

And so we give thanks to Gareth Carter, Fred Frederikse, Nadine Rayner, Angela Hewson, the Conservation Comment team, Christopher Cape, Dave Scoullar, Lin Ferguson, Carla Donson, Ken Chernoff, Shirley-Joy Barrow, Carla Langmead, Karen Hughes, John B Phillips, Louise Follett and the Sport Whanganui team, Kathy Cunnigham, Ingrid Culliford, Sandi Black, Prof Terry Cunniffe, Sandra Rickey, Michael Botur, Peter Frost, Annie Hunt, Albert Sword, Joan Rosier-Jones, Jess Annear-Charlton, Ella Grant, Andy McGechan, Jared Smith, Terry Coxon, Mark Humphrey, Aimee Loveridge and any I might have missed, although I hope not, whose contributions to the pages of Midweek added colour and variety to the community newspaper.

It's also worth mentioning that Midweek would not be half as interesting without the wonderful, fascinating people I get to chat with and write about.

The people doing extraordinary things in our community or leading lives worth documenting and sharing. Meeting you all has been a pleasure and I look forward to the meetings to come.

To all who have been keeping me informed about what's happening in the community — thanks, and I hope you keep it up next year.

All of that would not happen without a team behind the publication, namely the people who sell the advertising that pays for the paper to be produced, so many thanks go to the Whanganui Chronicle commercial team. In extension, thanks must go to the businesses and services that promote themselves through advertising in the Midweek. Your confidence in our paper means an awful lot.

To you who read Midweek (and sometimes take the time to comment, either in writing, in the street or on the phone), thanks for being a part of this community paper. Even negative comments mean that you are reading this publication and taking the time to make suggestions. Just keep them physically possible, please.

Beyond this office and this city are those who take care of the nuts and bolts, so thanks to Colleen Thorpe and her posse of sub-editors who do the layout and check the words for all our community papers, to the technical team that allows the stories and pictures to magically appear on the website, and to the hierarchy that oversees the lot. And thanks to Christina Emery who makes sure that the stories get to social media.

It's been an odd year, certainly unlike any other in living memory, and we are facing challenges we never thought we would have to face. Social division is one aspect of the pandemic and its consequences, but the threat of Covid itself is enough to make people fearful and limit social contact.

Yet now is the time when keeping in touch with people is more important than ever. Obviously, we have to take precautions, because the last thing we want to do is catch the virus or pass it on, knowing what it can do to people, especially those with compromised immune systems or existing conditions. So, do take care, but also maintain that contact that makes us human. We left those caves behind many millennia ago.

With so much cancelled this summer, it's good to see there is plenty to do with the Summer Programme and its trips and talks. Dave Scoullar has been keeping us informed of all the things the programme has to offer, but he says they need people to sign up and participate.

Restrictions won't stop everyone from having a good time and getting out and about to see places of interest in the district. Try at least one of the advertised activities — you will have a good time, guaranteed.

In closing, Midweek wishes all its readers a happy, safe and loving Christmas and a New Year filled with hope and promise. The next issue will be out on January 12.