Well, this is pretty exciting!
This week will be the one hundredth main blog feature published here at AAT! Now, this is not even including our follow-up articles or our “Small Business Friday” features (the number would be a lot higher if we did). We’re celebrating the fact that for one hundred weeks, we’ve had the incredible blessing of sharing the stories and experiences of one hundred Elko County men and women! Over the past one hundred weeks, we’ve heard the different hearts and perspectives of everyone from stay-at-home parents to high-level political leaders. We’ve chatted with artists, scientists, athletes, entertainers, business owners, animal caretakers, children, and everyone in between! And although some of the individuals we’ve highlighted are no longer with us due to passing away or relocation of residents, AAT is still grateful to have laughed, cried, and sat across from them all!
When I (Anthony Crosby) interview someone for an AAT feature, I always try to ensure the person that I am there to simply serve them. I’m not trying to “get a scoop.” I’m there to hear their story and share that story with the community. So, in many ways, my interviewees are often the directors of our blogs! However, no matter what direction our conversation is steered, I always try to hear my guests’ hearts and thoughts on their community, whether it be Elko, Spring Creek, or Carlin. Everyone has a unique perspective, and I love hearing them all! Therefore, I thought it would be appropriate, in honor of our one hundredth main blog, to look back at eight of those responses from past AAT guests. Here’s what they had to say about life in their town!
Walt Lovell– “Elko is special. I don’t think people understand how special it is. We’re not too close to anybody, but we’re not really that far from anybody; we’re in the perfect spot. When I tell people where I live, they assume it’s in the middle of nowhere, but I tell them it’s actually in the middle of everywhere! And even though the town is six times the size now than when I moved here, the people are still very special.”
Jessie Bahr– “Spring Creek is home. Home to a diverse set of residents and values just over the hill. Coming from a large area where you’d jump on eight-lane freeways every day, you come to appreciate the richness of humanity coexisting here at the base of the Ruby Mountains. We appreciate the small community feeling where “everybody knows your name” or knows whom to call if you need something. Each day I have unexpected and fascinating conversations which I enjoy.”
Kytrina Neubert– “In a big city, it can be easy to feel like you’re just part of a crowd and are not really noticed. Here, in Carlin, you are noticed, and people will look out for you, so you don’t have to worry! It’s rare to find someone here with a “help yourself” type attitude. Also, people here are here with longevity; there are people I grew up with who are still here, and there are people who lived here before me who are still here because if you want to make a life here, you can.”
ToniJo Caetano– “Elko is one of a kind. I had lived in so many places that when I moved to Elko, it was a bit of a culture shock; however, it quickly became home. It became home so quickly because the people here are awesome; they’re really here to help. This is where I’ve been planted, and I’m going to keep growing here.”
Lizzy Pritchett– “I love Elko. I love all the people. People (in my opinion) are a lot kinder in smaller towns because we have that closeness in our relationships. People that don’t even know me have helped me out. I couldn’t imagine having this injury in a big city. Not that people in big cities don’t care about other people, but they may not have the same kinds of emotional ties to those around them. More people than I can name come up to me when I’m out around town and thank me for sharing my story. No, thank you! Thank you for telling me that my story has encouraged somebody! I just don’t think you’d find that sort of thing in a big town because they don’t see the same people all the time around town. When I was in San Diego they didn’t have a genuine connection with everybody; they were nice but you could tell they weren’t necessarily interested in being friends. It’s so cool that everyone here enjoys their relationships with each other and genuinely hopes to see you again!”
Rachel K Pittaro– “I’ve tried to “escape” Elko many times. I have always come back. After coming back the last time, I realized how much of a gem our town is. When I left, I could never find another place like it; I would find myself missing it. A lot of my inspiration for my paintings comes from the nature around here; you can’t find that in a large city.”
Lauren Roovart– “When you’re from and grow up here [Spring Creek], it’s easy to have the attitude of wanting to get out and never wanting to come back. I never had that feeling. Yes, I did end up going away for quite some time, but I never disliked being here. I loved seeing the mountains every day when I woke up. I liked going up the canyon, every day, to hang out with my friends. I liked camping and the wide-open space. It’s just beautiful here, all the time!”
Richard Bochman– “Our community should be thankful for the people here. Everybody here is important. The reality is, everybody here supports one another and supports what’s in Elko. Thank you, community, for all that you do, whether you’re a baby, a veteran, or ninety years old!
Thank you, Elko area, for allowing AAT to do this over one hundred times now! We genuinely do love this community, and as long as you all will keep reading it, we’ll keep publishing these stories! So, here’s to one day celebrating blog feature number two hundred!
You can stay caught up on everything going on around here at AAT by checking out our “Stay Connected” page! Make sure you never miss a feature!
If you would like to submit a FREE entry for The Around Town Bulletin Board, simply email us anthonyaroundtown@gmail.com
See you around, Elko
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