Sun reporter says farewell

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/07/2022 (1263 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Working in Brandon for nearly four years has been a privilege and a pleasure.

I moved to Brandon from Ottawa in November 2018. There was a snowstorm the day I arrived, and the temperature was -20 C — a shock to my system. While Brandon is a smaller city than Ottawa, I knew right away it had depth and so much to offer.

I came from eastern Canada, but everyone in the city gave me a warm welcome and it quickly felt like home.

A few days before my first Christmas in Brandon, I covered the Westman Christmas Cheer Board delivering hampers to those in need. I saw the inner workings of how food and donations are organized and how hampers are packed — a logistical operation to rival even Amazon.

A local couple let me ride along with them as they delivered hampers around the city, and I saw firsthand the generosity of the community at work. The devoted couple met everyone with a smile, which they received in return.

That was one of the first times I saw how close-knit the community is and how people here truly care for one another. I saw it again while covering the COVID-19 pandemic, and how people came together to show appreciation for first responders, and in the outpouring of support whenever there is a fire or other disaster.

There are many stories I covered that will stick with me for years to come, from a trove of First World War letters found in Virden, to the Pacific Avenue apartment building fire, to high-profile cases at the courthouse, to city council meetings and so many vibrant community events.

I’ve been very lucky to cover so many areas of the city in my time here. I started at The Brandon Sun on the business and entertainment beat, then moved to city hall, and I’ve been covering the courts for the last two years. The experience has taught me so much, and I can’t thank everyone enough who has helped me along the way.

While I saw a tremendous amount of Westman as a journalist, I didn’t just sit at home during my time off. I loved exploring every corner of this part of the province from Melita, to Dauphin, to Treherne. The bison enclosure at Lake Audy in Riding Mountain National Park is one of the most amazing things I’ve seen, stopping for a Filipino pastry in Neepawa is always tasty, and the Shamrock drive-in in Killarney was a ton of fun.

There are too many people for me to thank here, but I truly appreciate everyone who picked up the phone to talk to me and who gave me their time. In journalism, we do our best day-in and day-out to inform the community about itself, and that’s not possible without everyone who takes a few minutes out of their day for an interview and to chat.

I also have to thank all my amazing co-workers at the Sun. They are the ones who made it special and taught me so much over the years. Everyone at the newspaper works incredibly hard to document life in Westman and hold those in power to account.

Brandon is an incredible community, and I’m very lucky to have spent a part of my life here. While I’m moving on to new opportunities and Friday was my last day at the newspaper, I will always be thankful for the opportunity and all Brandon has given me.

» dmay@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @DrewMay_