EDITOR’S NOTE: Thank You, & So Long!

by Rachel Garber, Private Citizen.

Rachel Garber, Private Citizen

I’ve been editor four years now, during which I’ve seen the Townships Sun editorial team grow in number and in caliber. I’ve learned so much, and interacted with so many creative, thoughtful, and caring Townshippers. Thank you all! And now I am retiring.

It’s been a privilege this past year to work with the editorial team of Noémi Blom, Melanie Cutting, Heather Davis, John Mackley, Marie Moliner, and Ross Murray, each with their unique set of skills and experience. Not to mention Janet Angrave with her eagle eye for proofreading, and Xania Keane with her quirky creative sense, who is now coordinating the Townships Young Voices 2026 project, alongside Robert Donachie.

Awards

We earned four awards these past two years. The Quebec Community Newspaper Association gave us three first-place awards; two for Best Community Newspaper Promotion ― for the 2023 Townships Young Voices, and for our 50th Anniversary activities in 2024 ― and the best Feature Article Award (2023), for Marie Moliner’s thoughtful article on the 10th anniversary of the train disaster in Megantic, “Megantic Then and Now.”

The entire Townships Sun team, past and present, can be proud of receiving the Richard Evans Award for Outstanding Community Heritage Achievement in 2025 from the Quebec Anglophone Heritage Network. The award was based on the magazine’s long-term coverage of heritage-relevant topics, as well as the publication of The Eastern Townships Adventure by Bernard Epps, our archives and photo archives projects, and our 50th anniversary activities. We feel truly honoured!

Going Forward

So I feel a sense of collective achievement, as well as optimism for the future as we go forward with a new team. But most of all, I am grateful to all the people who have read our pages, and especially those who have contributed stories, articles, poetry, art, photos, and valuable feedback. Thanks for letting me accompany you!

October Issue

My last issue of the Townships Sun, October, had a big hiccup ― the postal strike! At the beginning of October, we emailed a pdf version to all of our subscribers, contributors, and advertisers who have given us an email address. But the print version could not be produced until Canada Post was able to distribute it. So now this is in progress. Print subscribers should be receiving their issues early next week.

Thank you for your understanding and patience!

So long,

Rachel