OLIVIA WIESELER: A bittersweet farewell

I realize it’s been a while since my last column, and unfortunately, this one will officially be the final one I write for the Gering Courier as the editor.

Despite having loved my role as editor and reporter for this community, I have decided to go down a new path and accepted a job in Lincoln as a communications coordinator at Bryan Health. My last day at the Star-Herald office will be Tuesday, May 10.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved every bit of my time serving this community. The job hasn’t always been easy, and to be quite frank, it’s gotten much more difficult in recent months — hence the lack of columns.

I won’t get into too much detail about my reasons for leaving, but I do want my parting message to reflect that I will miss this community immensely, and my leaving has nothing to do with my experience here in the Panhandle. I’ve loved all the people I’ve gotten to work with through covering stories and taking photos. I’ve loved getting to know who’s who and what’s what throughout western Nebraska. I’ve loved building connections and relationships with people that span outside the workday.

However, for personal reasons, I will be heading on to my next adventure back to the eastern side of the state. I’ll be closer to home and near other family and friends, which I’m very happy about, but I can’t shake the hint of sadness that’s been hiding in the back of my mind as my moving date gets closer.

I’ve made a lot of friends here, and I’ve met people that have had huge impacts on my life, even if they’ve only been in it for a short while. Thank you to all in this area who have been a part of my journey out west. You all have been monumental in my success as a budding journalist.

No matter where I go, the Nebraska Panhandle, and particularly the community of Gering, Nebraska, will always hold a special place in my heart. Yeah, it’s corny, but we live in Nebraska, so it shouldn’t be anything new for you all.

Now, as I finish up my last days here at the Star-Herald and Gering Courier, I ask that the community does its best to work with the newspaper and fight for local, community journalism. A lot of changes are happening in the industry — some for the better and some, perhaps, for the worse. At the end of the day, though, a community needs its local newspaper. I hope that the Star-Herald and Gering Courier will continue to serve that for you, but they need your help and your voice to survive what’s coming.

For what it’s worth, I’ll be back. My boyfriend still has family in the area, and I hope that the trips back to this side of the state will allow me to catch up with the community I’ve grown so fond of. Thank you for being a great first place to start my adult life. I wish the best for you and yours.

*This article originally appeared in the Gering Courier on May 5, 2022.