In my time as both a freelancer and an editor for Smyrna-Vinings Patch I’ve earned a quirky moniker. “Oh! You’re the Patch girl,” people say when they recognize my name from a byline or see the Patchy green logo on my laptop. As “the Patch girl” I’ve spent hours in local government meetings, written thousands of words and hundreds of stories about Smyrna-Vinings. I’ve gotten to meet some lovely, passionate people while covering a great community. Patch helped me put down roots in my new city and for that I’m grateful.
But today is my last day at Patch. Monday I’ll begin a new job, but this letter isn’t goodbye—it just signals the start of something new. I’ll no longer be the Patch girl, I’ll just be a regular Smyrna girl. You’ll still see me walking my dogs in my neighborhood and sipping coffee at Rev. If you see me, please say hello, but don’t call me the Patch girl. Just call me Sydney.
I’m leaving you in the capable hands of Angela Chao, an experienced Patch editor who will be making the move to Smyrna-Vinings from Acworth Patch on Monday. Feel free to welcome her with an email to angela.chao@patch.com.
Now it’s time for me to leave my role as one of the writers of this community's story and take my place in it as your neighbor. Thank you, Smyrna-Vinings, for letting me tell your story for awhile.
