By Michael Wnek
Regional publisher
Although it is not the end of the year it is my family’s first full year in Hornell, and over the last week I have reflected on the last 12 months and about what I’m thankful for. I have to say that is has been a blur for my wife Robbyn, my daughter Nora and me. And as we prepare for Thanksgiving and welcome my sister and her family to our home I am thankful for so many things that I feel blessed. Now I’ll try to focus on just a few things here which, if you know me or talked to the staff in Hornell, Wellsville or Dansville, is a difficult thing for me to do. I like to share and sometimes I share too much so I promise to be brief.
For me Thanksgiving has always been about gathering the family, eating tons of food and having lively conversations often fueled by a glass of wine or two. I remember the excitement, waiting for my older siblings and my parents, Chester and Diane, to gather in the basement, pile food onto the good china and sit down to eat.
We always ate in the basement because we did not have a large kitchen and we always had extended family, often my busha, and my siblings and their significant others. My mother would set up several tables at the bottom of the stairs packed full of food, meats, vegetables and desserts.
I loved descending the stairs and seeing all those tables, it was just comforting to me that we had such a variety of food. That may sound strange but even today my favorite meal is a plate full of food that may not be meant for the same meal.
We would gather at the table, usually in the same seats every year and someone would start a conversation, followed by a rumble of responses. The conversation would sometimes be full of laughter and sometimes full of snarls, but always loud and lively. I guess what I loved about it was that it was always intelligent debate, we challenged each other and pushed the envelope and kept each other grounded. It was honest family banter with little or no filters.
I’m thankful for that banter because it made me honest with my opinion and in my dealings with others. It may be a strange thing to be thankful for or to remember but it shaped me as a person and forged an honest bound with my family.
By Michael Wnek
Regional publisher
Although it is not the end of the year it is my family’s first full year in Hornell, and over the last week I have reflected on the last 12 months and about what I’m thankful for. I have to say that is has been a blur for my wife Robbyn, my daughter Nora and me. And as we prepare for Thanksgiving and welcome my sister and her family to our home I am thankful for so many things that I feel blessed. Now I’ll try to focus on just a few things here which, if you know me or talked to the staff in Hornell, Wellsville or Dansville, is a difficult thing for me to do. I like to share and sometimes I share too much so I promise to be brief.
For me Thanksgiving has always been about gathering the family, eating tons of food and having lively conversations often fueled by a glass of wine or two. I remember the excitement, waiting for my older siblings and my parents, Chester and Diane, to gather in the basement, pile food onto the good china and sit down to eat.
We always ate in the basement because we did not have a large kitchen and we always had extended family, often my busha, and my siblings and their significant others. My mother would set up several tables at the bottom of the stairs packed full of food, meats, vegetables and desserts.
I loved descending the stairs and seeing all those tables, it was just comforting to me that we had such a variety of food. That may sound strange but even today my favorite meal is a plate full of food that may not be meant for the same meal.
We would gather at the table, usually in the same seats every year and someone would start a conversation, followed by a rumble of responses. The conversation would sometimes be full of laughter and sometimes full of snarls, but always loud and lively. I guess what I loved about it was that it was always intelligent debate, we challenged each other and pushed the envelope and kept each other grounded. It was honest family banter with little or no filters.
I’m thankful for that banter because it made me honest with my opinion and in my dealings with others. It may be a strange thing to be thankful for or to remember but it shaped me as a person and forged an honest bound with my family.
When I think about the current stage in life, I’m thankful to the people of Hornell for welcoming my family and accepting us into the community. We’ve met so many great people, played at the parks, enjoyed the YMCA and ran so many miles around Fucci Park that I think I’ve named every goose that has left their mark on the walkway.
We’re thankful to the folks in Wellsville that clapped for my sorry attempt to perform at the Wellsville Arts Center open mike night and the folks in Dansville that have supported their newspaper and shopper and shared ideas with our local staff on improvements and concerns.
I’m thankful for the honor of being the publisher of three local newspapers and especially for the commitment of a staff made up of your neighbors. They remind me every day that we are only here because of the commitment of our readers and advertisers. I’m not writing this to play to our readers and advertisers I’m writing this because Cindy Giglio, Joy Stuart, Patty Davy, Oak Duke and everyone else that works for your local newspaper tell me so and I do my best to listen and respond. I’m truly thankful to them for keeping me grounded and accepting me as their publisher.
And finally, and most importantly, I’m thankful for my wife Robbyn and my daughter Nora who have made everyday better than the last. They are the reason I’m a happy, driven person and one of the luckiest in the world. They support me in everything I do and are honest with me even if I don’t want to hear what they are saying. They make Thanksgiving a day of thanks and life what it is, a great ride that should be enjoyed to its fullest.
I wish you and your family a healthy happy Thanksgiving and hope the rest of your holiday is enjoyed with friends and family!
