As I write this [Feb. 16], today marks 365 days since I joined the team here at Coast Reporter. Only a few days before, I arrived on the Sunshine Coast for the first time.
It was unusually snowy for that time of year, so I was told, but it didn’t take long for the Coast’s namesake sunshine to emerge.
Like that first week’s weather, it’s been an unusual year on the Coast and many of our headlines in the newspaper announced multiple record-breaking events from the mercury-rising hot days to lengthy water restrictions.
My 365 (and counting) days on the Coast have been quite interesting to live through, and I expect the coming year to bring more than a few surprises. With only a year in, I acknowledge I am decades off what many determine to be the minimum requirement to become a local (although it depends on who you ask, with some benchmarks ranging from a few decades to longer than I’ve been alive).
All through the challenges of last year, though, the highlights of Coast life peeked through.
Our Coast is made up of many different people, all who can have an impact on their community. Over the course of my reporting here to date, I’ve noticed that newsmakers have been of all ages, from the five-year-old fundraising thousands for his first Terry Fox Run and the pre-teen who raised money for BC SPCA’s first solar panels, to the retirement of the long-serving school bus driver in the Pender Harbour area (Hi, Wendy!), and birthdays for multiple centenarians.
Of each person turning 100 (and older), I asked what their secret to a long life is. Two gave me their daily drink recommendations, and one said to “just keep living.” Take that as you will, and maybe with a gin and tonic.
(My search continues for the oldest living person on the Coast, so if you think you know them, feel free to give me a call!)
And if you don’t recognize my name yet, I can’t blame you. The pandemic has hindered many events, restricting our ability to safely gather. As regulations continue to lift or shift, I look forward to many more Coast firsts, such as attending my first local festivals and hopefully the return of iconic events like the Sea Cavalcade.
With that in mind, I thank all of you who have helped me begin to acquaint myself with the Coast, and those who have shared their stories along the way. I look forward to sharing many more with you.
