Another year has hurtled by with its fair share of highlights.
Our community newspaper is continuing to grow (up by a total of 20 pages from last year). The final paper of the year has traditionally been our biggest and this is the second year running that it’s hit 44 pages.
This means more for you to read, for sure, and more business for our many wonderful advertisers too (there are more than 130 local advertisers in this edition alone). Filling those pages with interesting stories is where the highlights for me, as editor, come in. By definition, news is something that you don’t already know and so my priority is to bring readers local stories that surprise and inform, in every issue.
Social media is a great way to keep on top of fast moving stories and add value, in this respect our team of Cathy Aronson and Pauline Stockhausen is making our online presence a force to be reckoned with.
Along the way, there are inspiring individuals to interview. This year that included fire fighter Andi Jackson, who we spoke to not long before her untimely death from cancer, paraplegic motorcycle racer Paul Garrett, Gulf Harbour master carver Reuben Kirkwood and counsellor Lexy Davis who turned her life around after years of drug addiction.
I was impressed by the strength of feeling at Silverdale Rugby Club when members voted overwhelmingly to stay at their Silverdale grounds and witnessed a little bit of eco magic when whiteheads were re-introduced to Shakespear Open Sanctuary and the Pest Free Peninsula put in its final bait stations.
The whole team enjoyed being part of the Orewa Santa Parade where we received so much positive feedback. But the biggest satisfaction of all is when you can make a real difference and in that regard readers’ response to our front page story last issue about the local foodbank tops the lot. Its not the first time we have been able to assist but the response was off the scale. Must be Christmas.
Our team, which has grown to five permanent staff, wishes all Hibiscus Matters’ readers, advertisers, columnists and delivery people the very best of Christmases and a Happy New Year. See you in February.
