Chit Chat Blog: Thank you for the welcomed feeling

After working at my college newspaper for two years, one semester as a reporter, and the following three as a news editor, I am back at the “bottom” once again.

Or, am I?

As the months turned into weeks and then turned into days leading to my college graduation, I was sure I’d be just another one of the unemployed, back to the bottom of the totem pole for me.

I was sure I’d be scrounging for any job that came my way. I would have to put my shame aside and work whatever paid.

But, fortunately for me, I was only unemployed for a week.

And now, here I am, two months employed as the Chillicothe Times-Bulletin associate editor.

It’s been two months already? Boy, does time fly when you actually have a job!

I’ve been praised and complimented on the short time it has taken me to get a job, and a job I’m happy with, nonetheless. But, I haven’t been able to praise the place I work at, or the community I work for.

I’m so gracious and thankful for the opportunity I was handed straight out of college. My co-workers couldn’t be better, and the advice and mentoring I’ve already received has been so helpful, to say the least.

Not to mention the people in the Dunlap and Chillicothe communities who have been so welcoming to my new face around meetings.

I was thrown into the community of Chillicothe my first day on the job. I was sent to a coverage where state Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) was working with a home care provider for a day.

I successfully avoided being hit with a mop by the senator, as well as getting my photo in the Journal Star.

As the first weeks went on I noticed even more how polite the people around me were. Never have I been to board meetings where people introduce themselves to me out of sheer curiousity or volunteer their time to take me on tours. I’ve never felt more welcomed and never met more friendly and down-to-earth people.

IVC High School superintendent Nick Polyak, after my first IVC school board meeting, offered to take me on a tour of the South School renovations and catch me up on what I should be expecting at the upcoming board meetings.

It was such a great opportunity to be shown the community that I would be covering and it really showed the character of Chillicothe.

At recent meetings in Dunlap, community members noticed I was sitting alone and struck up a conversation with me. It’s wonderful to know your community through the people that live in it, and both Dunlap and Chillicothe have done just that.

I hope in the years to come, I will be able to work with the communities to tell the stories that need to be told and to get the news the readers want to see.

To the Dunlap and Chillicothe communities, I’ll be around often, so please introduce yourself, because oddly enough, I’m a bit shy.

Chelsea Peck is the associate editor of the Chillicothe Times-Bulletin.