Each Thanksgiving, the employees at the Whidbey News-Times and South Whidbey Record are questioned, on the record, about what they are thankful for.
These are our quotes:
Kimberly Winjum, associate publisher: This year I’m especially thankful. I made the decision that I want to stay on Whidbey for good. I’m thankful I found an amazing Realtor and mortgage broker who found me a house within a week! I am beyond thankful and blessed:)
Jacy Anderson, multimedia sales consultant: This year has been filled with opportunity after opportunity to grow my experience in the workforce. I am so grateful for the company I work for, the clients I work with and the knowledge I have gained. I have truly been inspired by countless entrepreneurs on Whidbey Island.
Kaitlyn Martinez, administrative assistant: I am thankful for my husband Gus and our two Shih Tzu, Junie Bea and Luke, my family back home in East Texas, my health and coffee. I’m also really thankful for Chick-fil-A and Mexican food.
Gretchen Bundy, creative artist: I’m thankful for good food, family, friends and four-day weekends.
Keven Graves, publisher: I am thankful for my handsome grandson, Lincoln, a chipper lil’ feller who never fails to make me smile, and his loving and devoted parents, Liam and Jo, and for my entire family. I’m especially grateful for the quality time I got to spend the past few years with my mom before she passed away from stomach cancer and for my niece Kendall’s miraculous recovery from aggressive breast cancer, and that she beat the odds to see her own young children grow up. I’m also grateful to live in a country with a free press, protected by our Constitution.
Jessie Stensland, editor: I’m allegedly thankful for my smart little kids, black olives, the color green, the word “moisture,” the New York Times, callers who use their inside voice and an end to a long dark year.
Patricia Guthrie, reporter: Thankful for….Getting to live (lots of) life in simpleton times when phones were attached to walls, time and face were two separate words and song birds tweeted not presidents. And newspapers required a printing press and little kids like me and my brother to walk around and deliver them. Except on Sundays, or in four feet of fresh snow, then Mom drove us.
Jennifer Wilkins, production manager: I am thankful for my husband and our two beautiful girls. They teach me grace, patience, compassion and love. And I am thankful for wine, for the days when those things aren’t quite enough.
Maria Matson, reporter: Things I’m grateful for, besides my friends and family: the orange and red fall leaves lining the streets. Also, our new office fish, “Scoop.” Because he helps us get news scoops.
Jim Waller, sports editor: I am thankful that my three children have grown into responsible citizens of high character and blessed me with three wonderful grandchildren.
Laura Guido, reporter: I’m thankful for my family, my cat, my Subaru, my brother’s Netflix account and the fact that newspapers still exist.
Harry Anderson, columnist and proofreader: I’m thankful, at 74, to be able to live a full, active, productive and hopefully helpful life in a beautiful place.
Dave Felice, freelancer: I am grateful for living on Whidbey, where people care about the community, where I can see the big green trees, the water and an occasional bald eagle.
Laura Guthrie, non-existent, award-winning reporter: I am thankful for drag queens, apertures, unimportant foreign soccer teams, belt buckles and old pickup trucks.
