Saying goodbye never easy to do

It is never easy to walk away But that’s exactly what I’m preparing to do. After more than six years,two awards and thousands of stories covered, July 26 will be my last day at Wawatay.
Looking back at my time here, I’ve worked with some tremendously talented people and had the opportunity to cover issues some reporters have to wait their whole lives to encounter.
To my former colleagues who left before me – thank you for guiding me down the right path. To those I will be leaving – please keep this organization running strong.
I think the people I’ve worked with and met for interviews will be those I miss the most.
To JK, the principal at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School, the world would be a better place if there were more educators like you out there.
I miss our chats when you’re away from the school over summer; I can’t imagine not going to the school this fall to visit with you once again.
I wish you the greatest success and happiness with what you do.
To the editors – Brent, Adrienne, Bryan and Joyce – I’ve worked for; I offer you my sincere thanks for bringing out the potential in the work I did. I know not every story was great but I recognize you certainly help turn average ones into good ones.
To those reporters whose work I edited, I hope I did the same. You helped me recognize what it takes to make it as an editor.
Yes there were challenges and frustrations along the way but getting great feedback from
the readers made it all worthwhile.
Working for Wawatay has allowed me to travel throughout the province and see things I never thought possible.
Seeing live polar bears in the wild in Fort Severn just a handful of feet in front of me ranks as the third greatest day of my life behind only my wedding day and finding out I am going to be a father.
For as long as I can remember,Ihadwantedtogotoa place where I could see a polar bear out of captivity. Wawatay gave me that opportunity and I will be forever grateful to the person who suggested visiting the polar bears on the tundra would make a good feature in Sagatay.
Looking back, I have so many great memories.
One of my favourite photos was shot during another Saga- tay trip; this one to Bearskin Lake.
It was the dead of winter and a youth hockey tournament was underway. Between periods, two men used a four by eight sheet of plywood to clean the ice. If a picture could ever tell a thousand words, that was it.
There isn’t one story or issue I covered which stands out as a favourite. My least popular story, which made the front page of Google News, was a rant about smoking. The feed- back I received ranged from name calling to pointing out perceived flaws in my argument. Looking back, the whole experience brings a smile to my face even if I didn’t appreciate the feedback at the time.
There are other issues I covered which mean a lot to me. Sitting through hours in court was well-worth it to be able to share the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug and Platinex hearings with those people who couldn’t attend court. I gained tremendous respect for Chief Donny Morris and the other members of the KI6 during their stand for justice.
Though I am leaving, I will check in on the newspaper and continue to follow the issues of the day affecting the First Nations.
I can’t wait to read the latest developments in the Ring of Fire and the coroner’s inquest into Reggie Bushie’s death, see photos of the new school in Attawapiskat and hear the jubilation of the grassroots people when universal vote is announced.