I’ve been watching a lot of Grey’s Anatomy lately.
It’s not for the medical drama or the relationship tangles that come with the 15-year-old show; trust me, I almost gave up when (spoiler alert) McDreamy dies in season 11. What keeps me coming back is the comfort and familiarity. Such is the blessing of Netflix.
You see, I am a person who would rather re-watch her favorite shows over and over again rather than start new ones. Especially in times of unrest (like say, trying to survive a global pandemic), it feels good to come back to what you know.
It was during one such re-watch that the show’s title character delivered one of her signature voiceover monologues that stuck with me:
They take pictures of the mountain climbers at the top of the mountain. They are smiling, ecstatic, triumphant. They don’t take pictures along the way, because who wants to remember the rest of it?
It’s been a tough year, friends.
In March, our worlds changed. Even those on the surest of footing started to slip as we plunged into a global pandemic. It wasn’t about climbing towards progress anymore – it was about survival.
But from the vantage point of our newsrooms, we watched as our friends and neighbors came together time and time again to lend a helping hand. An encouraging word, a light in the darkness…you forged ahead together.
It’s this view that we want to share with you today, as we officially release our 2020 annual report:
Click here to read the 2020 Annual Report
This report is the second of its kind, published to let our community know how we’ve worked together to make our corner of the world a better place over the past year. Because trust me, we want to remember the climb.
With our minds completely occupied by survival mode these days, it’s comforting to remember that life existed before the pandemic, and will exist beyond it. It’s hard to do, but it’s worth it to try.
Journalism in service of our community has always been our guiding light, cutting through the fog of negative news. Even amidst a pandemic, you helped us tell stories about resilience, grit and crucial conversations. They brought us together, even as we remained physically apart.
The kind of great, independent local journalism we strive to produce can repair the social fabric of communities. Quality reporting guides individuals and institutions towards better decisions. Trusted staff convene residents for important conversations. Transparent leadership holds themselves accountable.
We hope you see evidence of that in our annual report. And we hope it inspires you to become a member.
The Source membership program helps you make Knox County a better place through support for independent, solutions-focused reporting. Membership bridges the gap between you and the reporters that cover your life. Together, we form a vital partnership that fosters trust, togetherness and growth through journalism.
And as we’ve learned this year, we can’t do this alone.
The second half of that Grey’s Anatomy quote goes something like this:
The relentless climb, the pain and anguish of taking it to the next level – nobody takes pictures of that. We just want to remember the view from the top, the breathtaking moment at the edge of the world. That’s what keeps us climbing. And it’s worth the pain, that’s the crazy part. It’s worth anything.
Our goal has always remained the same: A newsroom in service to its community. The challenges of 2020 have only clarified this goal for us. So the journey to the summit continues.
We believe the climb is worth it. Do you?
Supporter and Pillar memberships start at only $9.99 a month and are 20% off through December when you use the code “1200” at checkout.
