BARRY’S BAY – The very best part of my job as a reporter is travelling around the county meeting people. Often I get to talk to them after moments of success, sometimes at moments of tragedy. Through my work I have met some wonderful people. They have told me their life stories, about their families, work, places visited and about their passions. Listening to them share their stories is a privilege which keeps me learning and gives me new experiences. This summer and spring I was assigned to cover events at a couple of gun clubs. At each one I was given the chance to use handguns and rifles. Before that, I had never touched a real gun before. Growing up in England, it was rare to even see a gun anywhere but on the television or at the movies. In rural England, farmers have guns to kill predators and pests. I remember working on a farm once, picking potatoes. Some of my brothers were hunched over with the farmer’s family, our hands in the dirt, lifting tubers. To read the full story, pick up a copy of the November 14, 2018 Valley Gazette.