Team effort

To the Editor,

Thank you for the kind honor of recognizing me as our community’s 2025 Person of the Year. I’m genuinely grateful for the thoughtfulness behind the feature, and I’m humbled to be mentioned in the same edition as the fellow nominees, people who spend their days making Newcastle a better place to call home.

If there’s anything this edition of your paper truly reflects, it’s what’s possible when a community pulls together. The progress we’re proud of — stronger opportunities for our young people, better amenities, and a shared sense of pride — doesn’t happen because of one person. It happens because neighbors show up, volunteer, mentor, listen, and invest their time and care into one another. If our community is to have a theme in 2026, let it be that. What do each of us have to offer, and where can our time and talents make a difference?

I also want to offer a sincere thank-you to everyone who chooses to do some portion of their shopping locally. Those decisions matter. They help local businesses like mine maintain a presence here — supporting the places that bring people together and giving us a foundation to build on as we continue strengthening downtown. During my short tenure in retail, I’ve come to realize that a local business is more than a living; it’s a partnership with the community it serves, and it should be mutually beneficial.

Thank you again to the newspaper for highlighting the good happening here, and to the people of this community for the spirit of teamwork and pride that makes Newcastle what it is.

With appreciation,