Why would you want to write about schools news, the market at the local church and a trivial monetary donation to a charity?

Those were the questions I asked myself, and as a result, pictured myself walking out of the graduation ceremony with my degree under my arm and straight onto the set on Carte Blanche or the offices of a big, hard-hitting national newspaper.

This plan went horribly wrong – instead, I landed myself a job at the Benoni City Times at the end of my third year of studying.

The plan that went horribly wrong turned out to be the best thing that could have happened to me and my blossoming career.

I can almost call the Benoni City Times my home for two years, and what a revelation it has been and continues to be.

I have learnt things no qualification could possible prepare you for and met the most interesting (sometimes annoying, I must admit) people you can think of.

I have met the interesting “Boom Oom”, Charles Rogers, who was believed to have died after his name appeared in the death notices of the paper.

The person who had died, in fact carried the same name as the “Boom Oom”.

What an interesting man and a lovely story I managed to construct from this case of mistaken identity.

Then, not too long ago, I was fortunate enough to interview Elza Pretorius, who turned 90 and could not fight back her tears when she discussed her milestone.

Then, a woman who I will never forget, Glynis Cox Millett-Clay, who arguable knows more about Benoni’s history than anyone else.

She has a remarkable amount of passion and thousands of articles, postcards and photos of the small mining town – with a continuing interest to attain more.

These three people were the first to pop into my head, but there are hundreds who have made the efforts of a community journalist unforgettable.

You will not come across such interesting people in your every day work as a radio, television or national print journalist – not on my watch.

The schools news, the market at the local church and a trivial monetary donation to a charity are not redundant and annoying; they all form part of the rewarding life of a community journalist.

The somewhat pesky folk who you come across are also, at the end of the day, only looking to you to help them in their plight.

These interesting folk, scenarios and diverse stories ensure working for my local knock and drop is an extremely rewarding job, which I hope, I will be never tire of or be without.

Thank you to everyone who has changed my perception of what it is to work as a journalist at a community level. KvdL