Every once in a while, I cover a story that reminds me why I decided to become a journalist.
Sure, everyone talks about how journalism is a dying industry and that newspapers will soon become obsolete, but I still love what I do — especially when an afternoon of reporting takes me somewhere I never expected.
This week’s story about the lunch program with the University of Illinois of Tazewell County really opened my eyes to a certain area of East Peoria.
The Hiatt Hideaway Trailer Park, one of the four locations of the lunch service program, is located on Upper Free Bridge Road.
With a camera around my neck and notebook in hand, that was my destination last Friday.
I had no idea what to expect as I pulled near narrow dirt road entrance of the park, but the sight of the three rows of cramped trailers instantly made my stomach drop.
I admit I was a bit nervous because of preconceived notions of that people who live in poor neighborhoods are dangerous.
And after about a 10-mintute internal debate, I drove in and pulled up to the park where the children were eating.
Almost instantly, the people welcomed me and began telling me their stories. My heart really went out to them as they told me how they struggle on a day-to-day basis to feed their children.
I also stopped reporting for a while just to spend some time with the kids. They wanted to see my notebook and wanted to look at some of the pictures I took.
After a while, I wondered why I was so nervous to enter the trailer park. A trailer park does not define who these people are.
They were so polite and grateful for the U of I Extension’s help.
It really put my life into perspective and made me realize how good I had it as a kid.
Overall, I had a great time, and I even had one special request.
“Can you bring me a paper when you are done?” asked one of the little girls, who was attached to my side the entire time.
I definitely plan to go back before the lunch program ends.
Stephanie Gomes is the editor of the East Peoria Times-Courier. She writes about her journeys in East Peoria in her blog “Looking East.”
