Rosalie Bird
Editor/Publisher
In the spring of 2024 tired of the apparent pervasiveness of negativity on FB and elsewhere I began to ponder possible antidotes and the idea of an online positive community paper surfaced. I dug in and Issue 1 was published on May 15.
I'd have been in over my head very quickly except for the arrival of Margaret with her enthusiasm, experience and the willingness to accept the zero pay scale on offer.
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We continue to grow in subscribers, quality and range of articles and 'fun in the doing'. In the original email soliciting subscribers I wrote these tenets and they remain unchanged:
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1. All content will be positive and constructive, dedicated exclusively to uplifting articles and stories that showcase the positive and unique nature of our community. There will be no room for politics, wrangling debates, commenting or for negativity and criticism.
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2. While entirely (eagerly) open to ideas and suggestions UpDraft won’t be run by a committee. I will take responsibility for all final decisions. It will come at no cost to subscribers.
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3. We will work hard to create a digital space where healthy village news can be shared in an atmosphere of civility, kindness, and genuine appreciation for each other’s contributions.
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4. A focus will be on our collective creativity. From our wealth of established artists to quietly tucked away but busy hidden talents, UpDraft will seek out creators to remind us that actually everyone is an artist once they’ve found their own medium.
Margaret Scaia
Chief Correspondent & Resident Historian
I wanted to share how I became involved with UpDraft and how I met Rosalie.
We connected instantly when our mutual friend suggested we collaborate.
We both have a passion for history, especially social history, which emphasizes storytelling and the lived experiences of individuals.
It has been a pleasure working with Rosalie to develop UpDraft as a platform for positive and informative stories from people of all backgrounds in this beautiful community and beyond.
Jill Roberts
Food Editor
When Rosalie posted a job that combined food, writing, and New Denver, it seemed a natural match for me.
I studied Home Economics at UBC, then taught Foods in 3 provinces, in-between a life of cooking and entertaining abroad in the Diplomatic Service. When Home Economics passed out of favour in high schools, I taught Chemistry and Physics, then wrote science textbooks after retiring from teaching and moving to New Denver. Married to a hometown boy, I’ve been in and out of the valley since 1963. We renovated Bill’s family home and lived in New Denver for 14 years before moving to Sidney, B.C
It’s all connected! I hope the connections - between food, sharing, and community - can be showcased in Tried and True. I look forward to your submissions.
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Corrina Calvert-Smith
Valley Reporter
Corrina utilizes writing as an artistic approach to self-discovery and is devoted to depicting the heartening news of our uniquely vibrant community.
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https://corrinamaewritingcom.wordpress.com
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Lorraine Scaia
Senior Reporter
When I turned 93, I was looking for a new challenge, and writing fulfilled that need.
Howard Wilson
Pavilion Reporter
I have never written anything like this article before; however I was voluntold/volunteered. But I believed in the subject and happily agreed.