Excuse me for tooting The Enterprise horn but, there sure are some wonderful people in the world and some of them just happen to deliver The Enterprise.
On March 27, Enterprise staff members hosted a little party at the newspaper offices for the winners of the annual Carriers of the Year awards. Seven really terrific young people and their obviously supportive families came to enjoy some hoagie sandwiches, pop, nibblies and cake along with conversation and awards.
For the past several years, The Enterprise editors have asked readers to nominate their favorite carriers. The first year, we weren’t really sure what would happen. We were bowled over with the response and now, the contest is a must-do.
This year’s event was the first for circulation manager Monica Moyer, who joined The Enterprise in July 2002. Not that she discounted the stories but let’s just say she’s now a believer.
In Lynnwood, readers voted Tiffany and James Coleman as their 2002 Carriers of the Year. The siblings share the work and the profits.
In Edmonds, Micah Lester was the top choice with comments like this from Gloria Hoppler: “He makes his deliveries in a timely manner and collects in a professional manner.”
Shoreline readers liked the way Jason Swingle delivers the news: on his unicycle with politeness and good manners.
In Lake Forest Park, Shorecrest freshman Kurtis Wong rose to the top of the stack.
Mill Creek readers chose 11-year-old Samantha Hodge, the runner-up in 2001, as the top carrier in that community.
And in Mountlake Terrace, the top vote-getter was Kevin Brittingham, who uses the money he earns to add to his stamp and coin collections as well as saving some for college.
It didn’t take too long in talking to these young entrepreneurs and their families to realize that they are something special and that having a first job, and then having people take notice of good behavior, is a positive experience.
I joked with Samantha and her parents that this might be the first step to much bigger things. Each carrier got a framed version of their picture that ran in the newspaper several weeks ago. I said to Samantha that someday, that photo would be on the wall of her executive office and after earning her first million, she could point to it and say, “That’s where it all started.”
It was fun conversation and we laughed but I caught a hint of a competitive look in Samantha’s eyes that said indeed, look out Bill Gates.
Jim Hills is publisher of The Enterprise Newspapers.
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