Off The Cuff Archive

Last week, I discussed the lost art of letter writing and asked for letters. I was not disappointed.

 Virginia Simmons of Grantsville shared with me some poems she has exchanged with her pen pals over the years. She and Stan Hoffman have been sending poems back and forth, once a month, since 1997. She also sends poems to Dr. Jerry Wilson of “Curiosity Corner” in Greenwood, S.C. She even calls her local friends to read them the poems she has received.

 “I’m a letter writer,” she said, “I love to write. Why is the pen pal thing still going? Well, you never know what may be in the old mailbox. It’s for me like Christmas time when I was a little girl.”

 Virginia is a life-long letter writer, but I also got letters from readers who are practicing letter-writing, readers who have never let me down . . . Casey Harris’ fifth grade English students.

 If you haven’t been following regularly, you may not know Miss Harris has been picking up copies of the paper each week to use in her classroom. Coming to the end of the school year, the students sent their thanks for their free weekly copies and good wishes for me.

“You said that writing a letter was a lost art in your segment,” said Kenadee Taylor. “The students in Ms. Harris’ class decided to uncover this art.” Kenadee liked the installment of “Off the Cuff” about disco music. Courtney Conrad remembers the article I wrote “about the really stinky flowers. That was funny.” Her mom loves plants, and is crazy about ferns and ivy.

 Ray Atkinson will be 11 on May 29. Yes, Ray, I will put that in the Chronicle, and an early happy birthday to you.

 Lucas Godfrey is looking for a mowing and weeding job. He sent in his phone number if you’re looking for an 11-year-old to work around the house, but I’d rather not include it here without his parent’s permission. Sorry, Lucas.

Alexa Richards wanted me to ask the Grantsville Committee if she could help them plant flowers around town. I love a student who wants to be involved with community! Alexa, they planted flowers this past weekend, but watch in the newspaper because they will be doing it again later in the summer.

 Students listed their favorite columns, which included “Off the Cuff,” “Around Calhoun County,” and “The Publisher’s Desk.” Nicholas Roberts’ favorite part “is the update on Upper West Fork Park events.”

 James Adams gets good use from his copy of the newspaper. “I read it in class,” he says, “my mom reads it, then I put it on my floor so my dogs can use it for the bathroom.” I have a new puppy, James, and my copies end up on the floor for the same reason.

Robin Bradley asked me to ask Mrs. Jarvis to get the Chronicles next year when this class moves to the sixth grade. “That would be great,” she said. Any teacher who would like to share our newspaper with students can get free copies for their classes. Robin, you’ll have to ask Mrs. Jarvis if she will get them for you, but I hope all of you will continue reading, even if she doesn’t.

 Nearly all of the students asked the same question: Why did I change the name of my column? Well, that’s a long and silly story. Basically, I needed a change. A reporter attends events, takes pictures and writes about it. We have such a small staff, I do a bit more than that. I spend a lot of time on the phone, running our contests, preparing photographs for print, delivering papers to the Upper West Fork on Wednesdays, maintaining our web site at www.calhounchronicle.com, working on side projects like our books at Christmas and Encounter Calhoun County.

So, I asked for a new title. I am now the communications editor, which is really just a fancy name that makes me feel better. Silly, I know, but it was important to me because I wanted readers to realize that sometimes I have to work in the office (especially on deadline day), sometimes I’m already committed (like on newspaper delivery day) and sometimes I need to be with my family.

 I can’t attend every county event, and as a reporter, I felt guilty if I couldn’t be there. As the communications editor, I don’t feel so bad. Either way, since I was no longer just the reporter, I couldn’t keep the title “Reporter’s Reflections” now could I? So I had to think of a new name. “Off the cuff” is a term which means, “in an extemporaneous or informal manner.” Extemporaneous means, “carried out or performed with little or no preparation.” Well, that’s my column. It is usually the last piece I turn in each week, written at the last minute--informally, with little preparation. So, that’s how I chose the name.

Many of you included a request that I visit again before school lets out for the summer. I would love to visit again with all of you for a while, but you are separated into three different classrooms at any time of the day. Maybe your teacher will see if there is a way to get you all in the same place at one time--and I will visit then.

 Although this column is getting a little long, thanks to all of you for reading our paper and writing to me. In addition to the students mentioned above, thanks to Brooklyn Manns, Ruby Prusack, Chelsea Jones, Lisa Bennett, James Adams, Jared Mounts, Holly Bourne, Makayla Johnson, Amber Knicley, Jon Collins, Lindsey Webb, Carol McCumbers, Betty Harris, Justin Nicholas, Jared Haught, Kyler P., Maryah Marks, Trisha T., Tessa Greathouse, Patrick Shimer, William Keaffaber, Hannah Peck, Kristyn Starcher, Tyler Walling, Nick Sampson, Trenton Phillips,

Rachelle Murphy, Brittney Whytsell, Marissa May, Darren Parsons, Jolynn Smith, Misty Yoak, Sarah Dennis, Ricky Hall, Logan Jones, Todd McPherson, Hillary Lane, Jonluc Harris, Jessica McCumbers, Aaron May, Philip Norman, Belinda Summers, Cole Vineyard, Erika Wood, Mercy Roberts, Marshall Grogg, Shawna Falls, Jason White, Cody Helmick and Casey Harris.