That’s all for now, folks – again!

Dear Readers… To cut to the quick – whilst I have thoroughly enjoy conducting these interviews over the past four years, it is a commitment and task that I feel I can no longer do. It has become increasingly difficult to get people to commit to doing the interviews and this, together with my own ‘burn-out,’ has led to my decision. Therefore I shall not be presenting anymore unless my circumstances change or special cases arise.
It has been a very interesting project indeed and one warmly received by subject and reader alike. Every single person I have interviewed has either shaken my hand or given me a hug at the interview’s conclusion, yet the majority, when initially approached by me, would ask, ‘Why would anyone want to read about me?’ or ‘My life has not been that exciting’, or something to that effect. This, I pointed out to them, is not at all true. Everyone has a story and this has been emphasized every week to me in person and undoubtedly to the very supportive readership of the column. Besides that, these interviews are not only providing people with a way to learn a little more about their neighbors and/or friends, but they also give the reader an insight to the Valley, its character, its uniqueness, and perhaps most valuable of all, its history.
Many, many people have told me how much they enjoy reading the interviews and getting to know someone a little more than they normally would by simply chatting briefly at the Post Office or in the local store. Bruce Anderson, the A.V.A. newspaper editor, perhaps put it best when he wrote, “Steve is introducing the Valley to itself.” This has been achieved by interviewing 94 men, 63 women, one couple, and a dog!
I wish to thank the many people far and wide who have sent comments regarding either their pleasure at reading about people they had lost touch with or other positive remarks about the interviews. I should like to express my gratitude to those in the local community both for their supportive remarks to me personally and for their many messages of encouragement upon reading these small windows into the Valley’s community from week to week. Most of all, I wish to thank the 159 interviewees to-date who have shared their stories with me and whose interesting and informative tales have provided so many of the A.V.A.’s readers with a wide variety of the ‘lives and times’ of Valley folks.
Finally, I would like to express my appreciation for the support of the A.V.A.’s Bruce Anderson and Mark Scaramella throughout this project.
Sincerely, Steve Sparks.