April/May 2012

In the last several months there have been many changes in my life – from selling the Dover Women’s Journal to taking back over the operations of the Western Delaware County, PA paper and then to planning If I will be able to at least semi-retire in the next few years.  Much of what has happened was all fate.

Over a year ago when I decided to sell my PA papers I took a chance on a young woman that I felt could handle the everyday stress and dealings of publishing a newspaper.  Unfortunately, I made the wrong choice. Right in the middle of my plans to start my semi-retirement, I had to take back the DE County PA paper.  In trying to find a reliable buyer for that publication I had an offer to buy my Dover paper and felt that was the right solution. Thus Kevin and Angie Philipson, and Mike and Lisa Dolbey became the proud owners of the Dover paper, starting with the April/May 2012 Issue. I have always thought that the Dover paper would be more prosperous with owners who live and breathe the same air as all the wonderful practices and business in Kent County.  Of this I am sure I’m correct.

In the last year I have almost lost my granddaughter three times. I have lost my 49 year old brother in-law suddenly and have watched as a beautiful little girl named Rachel lost her battle with cancer.  All of this started me thinking that life is a very fragile thing and that we each need to savor it while we can.  It also made me stop and think about all the things that I have not taken care of, so that my family does not have to deal with the sadness of trying to plan my funeral as well as figure out what to do with all the pieces I call “my life”.  It has not been easy, but by following much of what I read in the article written by Fred Dawson in this issue and talking with Bill King I realized that I may not have it all figured out, but I am certainly much further ahead of the game than I was a couple of months ago.  Whether you are a man or a woman you need to make your plans as if tomorrow might be the last day you will have.  I do not say this to be morbid but to encourage you to make things easier on your family when the time does come.

As I sat in the sun for ten minutes today and listened to the birds and smelled the freshness of this early Spring I did say a prayer for all the people that will never have the opportunity to share this joy again on this earth – and prayed that they are all in a much better place.

A special thank you to all our wonderful contributors for their educational editorials and to all our readers who make the hard work worth it.

Thanks, Pamela Rizzo, Publisher