Distributed weekly to Pincher Creek, Crowsnest Pass and surrounding communities
September 14, 2016
Shootin’ the Breeze
Page 11
Five years in ...
It’s a rare occasion when the entire Shootin’ the Breeze team is in one place at the same time. Last week we spent a few windy moments together posing for the a fifth-anniversary photo. From left are Gary Andrews, Erin Fairhurst, Jessica Jensen, Jaiden Panchyhshyn, Cary Robison, Shannon Robison, Blaise O’Rourke, Brenda Shenton, Dennis Robin, Lois Johnston and Brad Quarin. Photo by Leslie Claringbull
My Little Corner It seems like time has flown by as we wrap up our fifth year at Shootin’ the Breeze and move forward into the sixth. At the same time, it feels like we’ve been at it for a long while. In late August 2011, I wrote the first version of My Little Corner. It started like this: “I’ve been called an opinionated person a time or two in my life and certainly have my own interpretation of things. Even so, I have chosen to reserve only a little corner of the paper for those thoughts of the publisher/editor. “The focus of our printed content is on good news, fascinating people and interesting events. I feel there will be no shortage of these items to fill our pages. “Negativity and sensationalism seem to be everywhere we turn. Our publication has made a conscious choice to focus on positive news, humour and inspirational stories.” This was printed in a sample version of the paper that was distributed to show what I intended Shootin’ the Breeze to be. The paper’s original name was Mountainside News, with Shootin’ the Breeze as the tagline. As the first copies rolled from the press, the words of my dad nagged at me. He had warned
that if I used the word “news” I would be expected to provide up-to-the-minute “hard news.” This wasn’t in line with my vision. Halfway through printing 2,000 copies, I stopped the press, changed the name and got things rolling again. While we certainly include more newsy articles now, the original concept is one that is supported by all who work here. Two weeks after the sample issue was made, the debut issue of Shootin’ the Breeze hit the streets on Sept. 14 — five years ago, today! In that short time, I quickly realized I had bitten off more than I could chew — what I had envisioned as a project for one was much more than that. My brother, Cary, came to the rescue and moved to Pincher Creek to help me out. Five years later, I’m grateful he is still here. The space for this week’s Corner isn’t big enough to say all I would like to say about the wonderful people who have joined us since then — Brenda Shenton, Brad Quarin, Jessica Jensen, Jaiden Panchyshyn, Erin Fairhurst, Gary Andrews and Blaise O’Rourke — are the names and the faces behind our weekly publication. Each of them brings unique viewpoints, experiences and talents to the table and I am most
By Shannon Robison grateful for what they collectively bring to the publication. I can’t count the number of times one, or all, of my staff members have gone the proverbial extra mile for me. I am very lucky. Their dedication to my original vision has allowed us to proudly celebrate our five-year anniversary today. To the businesses, organizations and individuals who have faith in the value of Shootin’ the Breeze and support the paper through advertising, I am most appreciative. To my business partner, Dennis Robin, and staff of Robin & Co. Chartered Accountant in Pincher Creek and Crowsnest Pass, I am thankful for the assistance you are always quick to offer. The final acknowledgment is to you, our readers, who are our most precious gift. Thank you for choosing to pick up a copy of the Breeze each week. Thank you for sharing compliments and suggestions, and for letting me know when we don’t get something quite right. Thank you for embracing the idea that Pincher Creek and Crowsnest Pass are communities that care about one another and can thrive on similarities while respecting differences. Thank you, for shootin’ the breeze with us.