Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Celebrating 17 years as a columnist in Abbotsford/Mission and remembering Lloyd Wilson.
Old e-mails and older friends
I
met up with someone I know recently, and he said: "I left the community
a number of years ago and moved back and it was nice to see that you're
still writing in the paper."
Furthermore, it's actually going to be 17 years this month that I started out as a columnist.
Yes, it was the summer of 1995 when I approached the former editor of this paper, Gord Kurenoff, about an opportunity as a columnist.
When I was given this voice, I thought it was going to be for a short period of time. I didn't realize 204 months and hundreds of columns later, I would be still sharing in a discussion with you in celebrating our cultural diversity and writing about some of the issues that we currently face.
What I've learned over the past two decades is that diversity is not only about celebrating our differences but it's actually about creating relationships with each other.
I dug out an old box where I've kept all my e-mail responses I've received from readers.
Let's just say it clearly goes into the hundreds, and I'm proud to say that if he or she was not being racist in their response, I was more than happy to return their e-mail.
Flipping through the pages of e-mails, more than half of them had encouraging words about our local diversity and a small minority have raised some concerns, which I have raised from time to time. Striking that balance of listening and learning and, more importantly, being honest is the approach that I have carried.
People always like to assume that I'm an expert on cultural diversity.
I like to remind everyone that I don't have all the answers, and you know what, nobody does.
The issues around cultural diversity are always evolving and changing constantly. Just when you think you know it all, you're put to the test.
Putting myself in these trenches, if I didn't have the answers, I have certainly tried to find someone who could be a voice on the topic.
Life is sometimes based on the opportunities that are given to us. I have tried my best and thank everyone on this special occasion.
I received an e-mail a month ago from Kris Foulds from The Reach Gallery containing a picture that was published in the newspaper of my father and the Abbotsford badminton club.
It was dated February 16, 1972. One of the team members standing in the back row was Lloyd Wilson.
A long-time local lawyer and sportsman was a competitor on and off the court. I recall as a young kid in the '70s and early '80s going to the tennis bubble in Abbotsford with my father and older brother and watching them play in the Wilson Cup, which he sponsored.
The Wilson Cup tennis tourney was highly competitive and drew some of the best.
I was sad to be informed when I was flipping through the paper last week that he had passed away on June 18 at the Menno Home in Abbotsford.
- Ken Herar is a freelance columnist who can be reached at: kenherar@ gmail.com.
Furthermore, it's actually going to be 17 years this month that I started out as a columnist.
Yes, it was the summer of 1995 when I approached the former editor of this paper, Gord Kurenoff, about an opportunity as a columnist.
When I was given this voice, I thought it was going to be for a short period of time. I didn't realize 204 months and hundreds of columns later, I would be still sharing in a discussion with you in celebrating our cultural diversity and writing about some of the issues that we currently face.
What I've learned over the past two decades is that diversity is not only about celebrating our differences but it's actually about creating relationships with each other.
I dug out an old box where I've kept all my e-mail responses I've received from readers.
Let's just say it clearly goes into the hundreds, and I'm proud to say that if he or she was not being racist in their response, I was more than happy to return their e-mail.
Flipping through the pages of e-mails, more than half of them had encouraging words about our local diversity and a small minority have raised some concerns, which I have raised from time to time. Striking that balance of listening and learning and, more importantly, being honest is the approach that I have carried.
People always like to assume that I'm an expert on cultural diversity.
I like to remind everyone that I don't have all the answers, and you know what, nobody does.
The issues around cultural diversity are always evolving and changing constantly. Just when you think you know it all, you're put to the test.
Putting myself in these trenches, if I didn't have the answers, I have certainly tried to find someone who could be a voice on the topic.
Life is sometimes based on the opportunities that are given to us. I have tried my best and thank everyone on this special occasion.
I received an e-mail a month ago from Kris Foulds from The Reach Gallery containing a picture that was published in the newspaper of my father and the Abbotsford badminton club.
It was dated February 16, 1972. One of the team members standing in the back row was Lloyd Wilson.
A long-time local lawyer and sportsman was a competitor on and off the court. I recall as a young kid in the '70s and early '80s going to the tennis bubble in Abbotsford with my father and older brother and watching them play in the Wilson Cup, which he sponsored.
The Wilson Cup tennis tourney was highly competitive and drew some of the best.
I was sad to be informed when I was flipping through the paper last week that he had passed away on June 18 at the Menno Home in Abbotsford.
- Ken Herar is a freelance columnist who can be reached at: kenherar@ gmail.com.
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Sunday, July 1, 2012
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