In the past year I’ve seen Marshalltown’s best asset on display over and over again: great people who rise to the occasion. From tornado recovery, supporting one another through difficult tragedies and forging ahead on community initiatives, Marshalltownians get things done and they do it together.

Of course, having grown up here, I wasn’t surprised. Even so, I’ve been inspired by the courage and resiliency. It’s what makes Marshalltown home for so many people, including myself.

I’ve reflected on all of this as I prepare for my last few days at the Times-Republican this week. Next month I’m going to be starting a new opportunity at the Business Record in Des Moines. While I’m excited for this next chapter, I’m very sad to leave home. And not just my literal home, but the home I’ve experienced at the newspaper and in community involvements.

If anyone needs help, Marshalltown will rally for them. If any project needs to get underway, Marshalltown will find a way to do it. You see it at the Marshalltown High School Roundhouse, the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, the Gallery Garden, the new public safety building, local restaurants and public art displays. You see it from positive experience visitors encounter when coming from across the state every year for events like State Swimming or a visit to the Orpheum.

It’s community spirit. It’s neighbors helping neighbors. It’s vision for a better future. No matter what Marshalltown faces, the community rises. You don’t find that everywhere.

I’m also more convinced than ever that local journalism matters. Growing up reading the Times-Republican, I took for granted how special it is to have a local newspaper and a staff devoted to telling your stories. Getting the public accurate information, providing context and digging into issues on a daily basis is no easy feat. Producing a newspaper is a 24/7, 365 operation. Many communities don’t have that.

In the past year, state and national media outlets have told stories about Marshalltown, but they will never have the heartbeat of the community like the Times-Republican. That’s because our staff members see you in the grocery store, out volunteering or on the bike trail. We know what matters here and we know the way we do our work matters here. We work with the community’s best interest in mind because it’s the community we live in.

It’s a privilege to have someone trust you enough to tell the stories of their lives. It’s an honor to walk into businesses and homes to see one of our articles framed or tacked up on a bulletin board. It almost makes you cry when people get in touch with you to see how they can help when you write about a family in need. It’s meaningful to do that kind of work each day.

And it’s even more meaningful getting to do special projects like our one-year anniversary section delivered to every household in Marshalltown. At our Progress and Pride banquet, there was not an eye at our table that stayed dry the whole time as community leaders recounted the progress made since the tornado. I was in the front of the room so I don’t know for certain, but I’d bet that every table there was the same way. It’s just one example of leadership the newspaper provides in Marshalltown. I know our publisher Abigail Pelzer and team will continue doing this kind of work.

A community needs its newspaper as much as a newspaper needs its community. And both are equally meaningful to me because of the people I’ve interacted with. I am beyond thankful for all of those interactions. I have no doubt I will see this town getting better each time I visit home because the people here will not settle for anything less.

Thank you, Marshalltown.

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Emily Barske is the Editor of the Times-Republican and can be reached at ebarske@timesrepublican.com