I

 might be losing a few points on my man card by admitting this, but one of my favorite all-time movies is “The Sound of Music.”

I have watched it dozens of times and any time I happen to run across it on TV, I can’t turn it off.

Midway through the movie there is a scene where Captain Von Trapp is hosting a party to introduce his bride to be. At the party, his children watch from outside until it is time for bed. Then they come in and sing to the crowd, saying so long and farewell.

Today it is time for me to say so long to Page, the Lake Powell Chronicle and the many amazing people I have had the privilege of working with over the last two years.

Today will be my last day at the Chronicle and tomorrow I will be leaving on a jet plane for Texas to be closer to my parents and to seek out new adventures.

But before I go, I have to say thank you to the amazing people who live, work and play in Page. Being here and living in paradise has been an amazing journey for me and my family. I have had the joy of seeing some of God’s greatest creations every day. I’ve got to play in Lake Powell, spend time at Lee’s Ferry, explore the Kaibab National Forest and the Grand Canyon. And every time, I saw something new and experienced something amazing. I will certainly miss that.

But when I leave, the sadness won’t be for the sandstone and water, it will be for the people I leave behind. Page has some amazing people who give their all for their community, and we should all be grateful.

My staff here at the Chronicle embody that. I have been blessed with a talented, dedicated group of employees who do their best day in and day out, and they have made my job and my life much easier than I expected.

I have also been fortunate to work with The Chamber Page-Lake Powell and in that role I got to know and work with people like Scott Swank and Brian Kellar, people who excel at their jobs but insist on making a difference in the community.

As I leave Page, I do have some hopes for the community that has been my home. First and foremost, I pray Page is able to continue to thrive when Navajo Generating Station closes. NGS is not only the biggest employer in Page, it is likely the most important. When the business goes away, its impact will be felt by many.

Second, I would love to see the community come together and unite to make Page as good as it can be. There are a lot of great ideas being discussed, but there is too much dissension and too little trust. The leaders in Page need to take a deep breath, listen to all ideas and join forces to make improvements. No one individual, government or business sector knows it all. Only by joining forces will things continue to improve.

One thing I would love to see is Coconino Community College be a major part of the improvements. CCC has been working to find ways to improve what it can do in Page, but the results are still lacking. That needs to change, and it needs the community to make it happen. In just a few days, CCC is hosting a meeting to hear from the community. I hope you attend.

As I go, I am grateful. Thank you to my bosses for this opportunity and your support. Thank you Page for an amazing journey.

Farewell my friends.