Two years with The Ontarion

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EDITORIAL

Holding a couple of issues that the team and I created over the years.

Two years with The Ontarion

ARTICLE & PHOTO BY ELLYSE MCGARR

HELLO DEAR READER,

I hope you are doing well and staying healthy!

Thank you for taking some time out of your day to pick up this paper and give it a read. I hope you’ve found it both informative and entertaining.

My name is Ellyse, and up until last month I was the editor-in-chief (EIC) of The Ontarion. It's bittersweet, but after two years my time with the paper has come to its end.

To rewind a bit, I first came into the paper at the beginning of the pandemic.

The Ontarion had shifted to operating remotely, and as a new journalist fresh out of journalism school it was quite a weird adjustment for me. I attended ‘j-school’ in 2019 where I was constantly approaching strangers, attending events, and sitting down with people to interview them. Enter 2020 where we began avoiding close contact with people and interacting remotely. The sudden change threw everyone for a tailspin, but of course we had to do everything we could to limit the spread of a largely unknown virus.

I sympathize with the university and Guelph community as we’ve all been dealing with illness and feelings of anxiety, confusion, fear, and/or burnout over the past couple of years. No matter who you are or what it is you do, things have been tough for us all and we have to deal with the fact that there's no going back to ‘normal.’

However, not every day under COVID-19 has been a rainy one. The Ontarion crew created and published a newspaper each month, featuring news, reviews, tips and advice, how-to’s and DIYs, poetry, opinion pieces, artwork, photography, and more! That is something to be really proud of—pat yourselves on the back staff and volunteers!

As I exit The Ontarion to pursue my next adventure, I want to say thank you to the many people I had the pleasure of working with.

Firstly, the management team: Aaron, Lorrie, and Patrick, who supported me as I navigated leading a newspaper for the first time. Thank you for all that you have taught me. I wish you the best!

Secondly, the editorial and production staff. Thank you for all of your hard work and perseverance! You wrote some great stories and created some amazing content. I can't wait to read or see more of your creations in the future!

Thirdly, the lovely volunteers who wrote stories, created artwork, and attended volunteer meetings. Many of you have grown so much in your writing and editing skills and should be very proud of yourselves. Great work, and I hope you continue writing and creating for the paper for as long as you are able to.

For those reading who have not volunteered with The Ontarion, I encourage you to reach out and give it a shot! There are opportunities for everyone, from writing, to creating illustrations and drawings, to taking photos. If you’ve ever wanted a creative outlet, this is it. The Ontarion is YOUR platform to develop your skills and let your voice be heard!

Here’s to a healthier and more vibrant year for all of us in 2022-2023. I really hope The Ontarion team is able to work together in the office again, go out and cover events, and hold board meetings and volunteer meetings in-person with cookies, snacks, pizza, and what have you. But if not, I know things will keep on keepin’ on and you will continue to produce some great content for the Guelph community.

And of course, before signing off I would like to shout out the paper’s new EIC, Taylor Pipe!

Taylor has previously worked with The Ontarion as a Staff Reporter, where she was a positive and enthusiastic team player who wrote some awesome stories. She comes back to The Ontarion after having written articles for The Hamilton Spectator, EloraFergusToday.com, CambridgeToday.com, and GuelphToday.com.

Go Taylor! I know our community will welcome you with open arms, and I wish you the best of luck with your new adventure!

Sincerely,

Ellyse McGarr Editor-in-chief 2020-2022