Transitions can be difficult, but friendships will survive

As with any business, The Deerfield Valley News has always had employees who have come and stayed a while, contributed much, and moved on to other opportunities. We feel fortunate that, almost always, we part on good terms and wish them well with their next adventure. And we’re particularly proud that some employees have started their careers in journalism at the Deerfield Valley News.
But we’ve also had a few employees who have not only contributed to each issue of The Deerfield Valley News, they’ve contributed to the community through their work, and have helped shape the voice and the viewpoint of the community’s newspaper.
While we can’t write a tribute to every employee who passes through the doors, we can’t let two recent transitions go by without mention.
In April, The Deerfield Valley News said goodbye and good luck to Ruth Hedberg, the proofreader at the Deerfield Valley News for 24 years. Writers and readers can thank Ruth for almost two and a half decades of consistency in the pages of the Deerfield Valley News.
Readers may not realize it, but a newspaper proofreader does a lot more than just correct grammar and misspelled or misused words. The proofreader, along with editors, are responsible for making sure every article, column, and press release reflects the same style, which, for a newspaper, means consistent use of capitalization, punctuation, abbreviations, use of quotations, and other elements of writing. We use a style guide for reference, but even so, it is a complex and time consuming task intended to ensure the entire newspaper has one “voice.”
Ruth faithfully maintained our voice for almost a quarter-century, through floods and blizzards, and even through the pandemic shutdown. We’re so thankful for that, and even though we’re glad she’ll have time for her own pursuits, we will miss her. We’ll especially miss her sense of humor around the office – sometimes subtle, sometimes not so subtle. She’ll remain a close friend to us all.
Many readers may have read reporter Lauren Harkawik’s farewell note to the community on page 4 of last week’s edition of The Deerfield Valley News. We published Lauren’s last two regular contributions last week, as well.
In her decade as a reporter for The Deerfield Valley News, Lauren did much more than report the news, she told the stories of the people who live in the valley. She told those stories with care and compassion, and managed to do that while maintaining objectivity and journalistic integrity.
Although she was an experienced writer when she joined the team in 2016, she had no prior experience in journalism. But she quickly, almost immediately, became an excellent community reporter. Her curiosity about the Deerfield Valley fueled article after article, across an incredibly wide range of topics.
In her first week, Lauren wrote a front page feature about ITV Fest, an independent television and film festival, which was in its fourth year in Dover. By the second week, her name dominated the front page with three articles, ranging from a vicious dog hearing at a local selectboard to the loss of a beloved local educator. She also wrote a followup on local participants at ITVFest. Even as a new reporter, Lauren really knew how to focus on what mattered most to the people in the community.
Although she always preferred to contribute as an independent freelancer, Lauren was as dedicated to the work as any hourly employee. She attended editorial and planning meetings regularly and contributed to production work each week.
Her articles quickly became an integral part of what we do here at The Deerfield Valley News – we record history by telling the stories of the people, the activities, the places, and the institutions of the Deerfield Valley.
She became much more than a reporter. She was also collaborator – helping us build a better newspaper. Thanks to her input and contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic and shutdown, The Deerfield Valley News excelled in bringing valley residents the local and statewide news they needed to navigate the “new normal.”
As an editor, I can tell you that a reporter and writer like Lauren is a rarity. Even from the beginning, she really got what community news is all about. She demonstrated a profound respect for readers as well as for the subjects of her articles, whether they were municipal board members or private citizens. Over the decade she wrote for The Deerfield Valley News, she could always be depended on to write a really good article about almost any subject, and get it in on or before deadline.
I’ve often described Lauren to other people as my “right hand” in the newsroom. But she’s also a treasured friend and neighbor. I’m going to miss working with her here at The Deerfield Valley News, but I’m pleased we’ll be able to continue our friendship.
—Mike Eldred