There’s never been a year like 2020. There’s never been a better time to say thank you
Dear readers,
It’s been a stressful year and I want to say thank you for caring so much about our community.
The stories of 2020 are full of COVID-19, flooding and murder hornets!
But there is so much to be grateful for as the year comes to an end:
The tireless work of those in health and eldercare who face COVID-19 daily.
Business owners who are working hard to survive shutdown orders.
A community that has engaged in the national racial reckoning.
Donors who are making Extend-a-Hand another success in helping our neighbors.
I’m also grateful for your support, which allows us to cover Whatcom County like nobody else.
We’re still mostly working from home for safety, but Herald reporters are out there virtually, reporting on the news of the day, questioning leaders, analyzing numbers.
We asked readers last month to make a tax-deductible gift to support expanded coverage of how COVID-19 has changed life as we knew it and we’re more than half-way to our Give Butter goal. I thank you for your support.
The new year will bring stories about vaccines and (hopefully) a swift economic recovery. We’ll also be there for the painful stories with so many still unemployed or without homes.
I hope you will keep sending news tips! Many of our COVID-19 stories started this year with a reader’s question or tip about what happened to them. Email us at newsroom@bellinghamherald.com or use our tip form.
We’re also looking at our past coverage, asking if our privilege has made us blind to parts of our community. I’m delighted to say Report for America will help us add a reporter to cover Native American issues.
Expect to hear more from us next year, we want to know more about your experiences and what you’re interested in here in Whatcom County.
For now, be safe, hug your loved ones (that you live with) and enjoy subdued holidays here in Whatcom County.
Julie Shirley
This story was originally published December 18, 2020 at 11:45 AM.
