Mavis Fodness celebrates 11 years at the Star Herald office on September 2. She answered a few questions about her time at the Star Herald.
1. How did your journey with the Star Herald start?
My journey to coming to work at the Star Herald began 40 years ago with a college internship. I interned as a reporter and recall covering feature stories and developing film in the dark room. This long-ago experience led me to accept an invitation to join the staff in 2014 and return to my hometown newspaper as a full-time reporter.
2. Can you make a comparison between then and now? What was your role in the beginning, and where are you at right now?
I continue to be a reporter, although my coverage has expanded to hard news as well as features. Over the past 40 years, the writing process is pretty much the same: Gather information and synthesize the information into words the public can easily understand. Yes, we had computers at that time! However, the pages were created by printing photos and columns of text, cutting them to size, waxing the back sides and assembling them on broadsheets with a light table. The pages were photographed, and negatives of the pages were drivent to our printers. Today everything is done on computer and sent online to press, completing in minutes what used to take hours. I'm thankful for the technology that has made my job of reporting and layout easier — especially digital photography. Hours in the darkroom meant possible damage to negatives and the number of pictures were limited due to the three-step developing process in order to get an image on photo paper.
3. What do you consider your biggest achievement?
Recognizing that I have a talent that is appreciated within the Rock County community where the paper's youngest readers greet me as "The Newspaper Lady."
4. What is your favorite part about working here? How does your job inspire you?
I appreciate flexible hours that help with to balancing family and work as a reporter. Most news doesn't happen on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. I find the most interesting stories are those that unfold at unexpected times, often during evenings and weekends. Inspiration and joy in doing this job comes when "stories write themselves," due to impressions the sources have left on me.
5. Share a fun office memory.
Fun memories are made every day in the office, but Tuesday press days tend to be when the more clever comments surface while everyone pulls together to produce a product we are all proud of.
6. Share something personal about yourself. What do you like to do outside of the office?
It's no secret that like horses and sharing my interest by helping with riding lessons and, more recently, assisting mental health professionals at Rock Ranch near Hills. During the summer, I show in pleasure events at local weekend horse shows. The majority of the time, I'm outside caring for my three equines on an acreage near Hardwick. The activity keeps me physically and mentally fit.
7. How do you envision yourself in 10 years?
I'm hoping in a decade, at age 70, that I will be retired from full-time reporting but still involved with the newspaper in some way.
On another note … after my husband, Bryan, died this summer, I have been so fortunate to have the support and prayers from community members who are connected to me through my work. I couldn't have returned to the Star Herald without this support and the understanding of my co-workers who have patiently accommodated me on the hard days. Kind words and heartfelt hugs have gone a long way in helping me deal with the grief I'm experiencing as I enter my second decade at the newspaper. I'm thankful for my Star Herald family and also thankful for my four children — Andrew, Courtney, Lyndsey and Adam — who have blessed me with eight grandchildren.
