Fourteen years, how time flies, in one month I will celebrate 14 years with the New Pittsburgh Courier. During this time I have enjoyed some of the best social events in the city. Recently I covered the Jack & Jill Presentation Ball. It was my last event of the year and what a beautiful night, full of accomplished teenagers.
Ironically the ball took place on the heels of the Monroeville Mall disturbance; how refreshing it was to see and to know that the young people at the center of the disturbance are not the rule. Thank you to the Jack and Jill organization for always inviting the New Pittsburgh Courier so we can see smart, beautiful young people with a bright future.
Thanks to all of the organizations that have invited me to luncheons, teas and dinners, and thanks for all that you do for the community via scholarships and donations. I would like to especially thank the Harriet Tubman Guild for honoring me at their recent luncheon. It was a huge surprise and the award has a special place in my home.
My big thank you goes to the readers of the New Pittsburgh Courier and the ones who say that from time to time I make them chuckle or share a piece of information that they did not know. Often someone will stop me in the grocery store or at an event and tell me that they read the Lifestyles Report. Many send emails and give me suggestions for stories.
The “big thank you” or the “shout out” if you will, goes out to these people. Charles Randolph of Michigan, thank you for the information that you share, you are a wealth of knowledge and I love having that Detroit connection; Paul Jones your cards and letters have not gone unnoticed I read each and every one; and Alice Paylor, I loved your idea for the new year and plan to share it soon with our readers, we are definitely on the same page. I want to thank those that say the Lifestyles page is the first place you stop when you get your “Courier” each week. You make me blush.
I know I’ve told you that I never dreamed of being a columnist, but now that I am one, it sure is sweet. I am so proud to be part of a historic paper like the New Pittsburgh Courier. This year we brought home a big award—the Pennsylvania News Media Association Foundation named the New Pittsburgh Courier its Newspaper of the Year for weeklies. The PNA Newspaper of the Year contest recognizes the outstanding work of both multi-day and weekly Pennsylvania news media organizations, and gives them the opportunity to showcase the efforts of their entire staff. I am so proud to be a part of this staff and I want to thank each and every one of you for making my job possible.
***
If you want coverage for your event please contact me via email. In the subject line indicate “request for coverage.” I have already booked events into April of 2015.
(Email the columnist at debbienorrell@aol.com)
Follow @NewPghCourier on Twitter https://twitter.com/NewPghCourier
Like us at https://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Pittsburgh-Courier/143866755628836?ref=hl
Download our mobile app at https://www.appshopper.com/news/new-pittsburgh-courier