by Thomas Smith

I have big shoes to fill. Emily Stonehouse will be going on maternity leave soon and I will be stepping in as her replacement as editor and journalist for the Minden Times and Haliburton Echo.
My name is Thomas Smith.
While I grew up in Bowmanville, I have always been deeply connected to Minden. My grandparents moved to Minden 20 years ago from the city. I spent my summers here swimming in Twelve Mile Lake, attending a Bible camp on South Lake Road, eating Kawartha Dairy ice cream, swimming in the Gull River, and dipping my feet in the refreshing waters of Ritchie Falls.
Minden has always been a second home for me and my family. This was quite literal for the beginning of my life, as my family owned a home in Lochlin.
Catching grasshoppers in the baseball diamond and playing at Lochlin Community Centre are memories that have stuck with me throughout my life. Even recently, hearing about the state of Lochlin Community Centre hurts my soul. However, I am certain that the community will heal, and the love that we have for Lochlin Community Centre will keep it, in one form or another, a landmark of Lochlin. Sadly, due to unforeseen circumstances, we were forced to sell our house in Lochlin.
However, during the pandemic, my family returned. They decided to move from Bowmanville to a house on Bobcaygeon Road in Minden. I like to think of myself as a transplanted local, with my roots being firmly set for many, many years. I love Haliburton County and the communities that live here.
To learn some things about me, I attended the University of Guelph for the past six years. While in University, I have written for student publications, written biographies on female Victorian authors published through Oxford University Press, published a radio play, and honed my love and craft for all things literary, historical, and theatrical.
Recently, I have graduated with a Master’s degree in history with a thesis project involving creating a virtual reality video game based on pageant celebrations of London, England in the 1600s.
Prepare yourselves for a year of articles that dig deep in local histories, and we can learn things about the history of our beautiful community together. I hope to raise the volume of marginalized voices and highlight the wonderful businesses and characters that call Haliburton County home.
When I am not writing, taking photos, or hunting the latest scoop, you can find me fishing on the beautiful lakes and shopping at my favorite businesses such as Thrift Warehouse, Mixtape Vintage, Russell Red Records, and the Little Tart.
My happy place is on a serene walk along Minden’s boardwalk or when I am petting my cat, Leyla. I love all types of music, ranging from Weird Al Yankovic to heavy metal (wear your ear protection kids!).
I realize that as a newcomer to Haliburton County, some of you may not have met me already, but I am beyond excited to become closer with my community. If you see me in the area, do not be a stranger to say hi, chat me up, or send me your ideas for the hottest scoop.
My door is always open and welcomes you in. You can also reach me through email at thomas@haliburtonpress.com.
Thank you for allowing me to be a voice for the community. Much love.