When I first agreed to take the position of reporter for the Port Washington Times, there was very little I knew about the area I’d be covering. I knew it was on the water. I knew it was a suburb of New York City. I knew a part of it inspired “The Great Gatsby.” That was about it.
During the year and three months I spent on the beat, I learned a lot of things about this peninsula, but the thing that stuck with me the most is how much the residents here care for Port Washington.
I see it in the trustees and staff of the various villages, who put in long hours to improving the communities for little or no pay. I see it in civic groups like the Chamber of Commerce and the Business Improvement District and Residents Forward, who work to beautify the peninsula and promote it to the world. And I see it in the residents, who put in many days volunteering their time or just showing up to local meetings to make sure their voices were heard.
And of course, Port is home to such incredible organizations as Spectrum Designs and the Helen Keller National Center, who look to improve the lives of people (and animals, in the case of North Shore Animal League America) across the region and the country.
My position with the Port Washington Times was my first true job in journalism and I was nervous. Fortunately, I was covering a community that made it easy. People were always willing to give me at least a minute of their time and often more.
The most rewarding part of this job is the feedback I get from readers, and the positive words I received from you were innumerable. The times you thanked me for covering an event, or writing an interesting story, or just praising the paper in general, made all the hard work worth it.
Unfortunately, my time in Port Washington has come to an end. This week was my last at the paper. Although I’m excited about the future, I will miss Port Washington and the people who make it such a special place. The good news is that my successor, Jessica Parks, is a very talented reporter. The Times is in good hands.
Port Washington was a beautiful place to work and I feel very fortunate to have my first reporting job in such a welcoming community. Going forward, you can keep in touch by emailing me at luketorrance@gmail.com.
Thank you.
Luke Torrance
Reporter
