IT’S with sadness that I write this farewell, for in truth it feels more like an obituary. For more than seven years, Michelle Dennis has been the heartbeat of Northglen News. Now our ‘fearless leader’ is leaving for pastures anew and will take up a post with sister newspaper, the Zululand Observer in Empangeni.
“I will miss everyone dearly, all the wonderful people and events that have been part and parcel of running the newspaper. It’s been a pleasure being part of the community dialogue. One outstanding feature of the north is its talented people.
”I have learnt that whenever there’s a competition, no matter where in the world, the winner or winners will hail from North Durban,” Michelle said.
Originality, innovativeness and a vibrancy, those are just some of the qualities Michelle has brought to the paper.
Indeed one of her lasting legacies at the paper was the launch of YGN or Y Generation Network (for which she won an international award from the World Association of Newspapers), and changing the names of the sections in the newspaper, for example, Letters to Inbox.
“The thinking behind YGN is to give young people a platform to express themselves. It’s for the young people by the young people,” she said. “And my passion is the youth, from whom one learns so much.”
Though she hasn’t yet finished cleaning out her desk, Michelle said she’ll be contacting myself and Rianette regularly for the latest scoop, and reading the paper every week online to keep in touch.
“It’s been extremely rewarding and humbling experience working at Northglen News. To the heads of Highway Mail, Steve Thomas and Michelle Vahl, I say thank you for giving me the opportunity and freedom to explore new ideas and put my stamp on the paper. To my colleagues, who are like family, friends, advertisers and the community, this was not an easy decision. It’s bittersweet and traumatic as I don’t do goodbyes gracefully.
“Thank you again to the intelligent readers; supportive, sometimes demanding, critical, but never dull.
“It’s been a challengingly and wonderful experience and I will always look back fondly at my time at Northglen News,” she said.
l Michelle felt this quote summed up the situation aptly. ‘All changes have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another’. (Anatole France)
