Meet Lauren Colombo

Lauren Colombo is 4 years old and on April 2 she had a five hour surgery to remove a grapefruit sized tumor from her brain.
That was my story. But that is by no means the end of Lauren's.
Looking past the scar that circled the top of her head I didn't see a girl who was defined as having cancer. She had life to her and she ran around the basement with her two twin 6-year-old sisters like she had nothing to lose. They were like the three musketeers.
A Flint Journal photographer, Tyler Sutherland, and I had the chance to spend about an hour with the girls. And a smile never left my face. I never felt pity or sympathy for Lauren.
Here's what you should know about Lauren: She LOVES green and penguins. In total she has about 40 stuffed penguins (most of which she received while in the hospital) and she enjoys showing off her mad penguin dance skills. And in case you were wondering how it goes (you know you were) I will enlighten you.
Standing up, move your legs so they are about shoulder width apart and put your arms out about 45 degrees. Now lift the leg and arm on side of your body and then the other side, alternating... congratulations, you are now a penguin.
Lauren is really smart. She could talk to me about the stuff that happened to her and what she went through. She corrected me with I mispronounced the street her school bus goes down. She loves to play on the iPod touch and use an application that makes cupcakes. And guess what color her cupcakes were? Yup. Green.
And if you ask her if she likes her hair short, she will tell you yes... because it's like grandma's.


Photo by Tyler Sutherland: I also learned that sometimes you just have to sit on the floor and enjoy a good conversation... And also that Lauren had a crush on Tyler.

Yes. Lauren had cancer. But after spending a little time with her you will forget all about it.

There's a fundraiser coming up for Lauren's family. If you're in the Flushing area, consider attending and met Lauren Colombo for yourself.
Here's my story for The Flint Journal:

By Sarah Schuch
The Flint Journal

FLUSHING, Michigan — Besides the scar on her head and her very short hair, an outsider would never know that Lauren Colombo had a grapefruit-sized brain tumor about eight months ago.
Lauren, 4, was full of energy at her Flushing home Monday, wearing a green leopard print shirt and a grass skirt over her jeans.
But it’s been a long journey for Lauren and her family.
What started out as flu-like symptoms turned out to be a rare form of a brain tumor that took over Lauren’s brain when she was still 3 years old.
“It was very, very difficult to watch it,” said Gina Colombo, Lauren’s mother. “It was the hardest (thing) that I found out that she had it. I lost my voice. My body was just gone.”
After surgery to remove the tumor, blood transfusions and six cycles of chemotherapy, Lauren is back in school and trying to live a normal life, Colombo said.
However, treatments and taking time off of work was expensive for the family. A spaghetti dinner fundraiser sponsored by Power Video Relay Service will taking place from 4 to 8 p.m. Dec. 11 at St. Robert’s Activity Center, 310 N. Cherry St.

For the full story check it out at mlive.com.

Journalism 101

For those of you who are journalists, you know there are a few — or few more than a few — things that non journalists don't understand about what we do.
And for those of you who are not journalists, writing is not just about selling papers and sticking it to the man... at least not for most.
Here are a few things that I've been thinking about for awhile that I need to put out there. You can agree or disagree, but remember this is my blog, so ultimately my opinion. :) Feel free to add to the list by leaving a comment.

12 things non journalists should know about what we do:
1. We do not know everything. So when a mistake is made, we do our best to correct it. Remember we are only human.
2. Our #1 goal is not to fill the newspaper or media outlet with only bad news. But if we didn't report it, readers would be complaining that we are not being transparent about what is going on out in the world. It's not like we created the violence.
3. Finding that extraordinary story out of an ordinary person is what makes our job fun.
4. A lot of the time reporters do not write the headlines you see in the newspaper.
5. Believe it or not, stories go through about three or more people before it's published. If there's still a mistake, it's possible wires of communication were crossed. Don't have a cow.
6. We can't possibly cover everything, especially if sources mention it the day it is happening.
7. Our entire day is not spent at the computer writing. We actually develop source work, go to meetings and interact with the public so you don't have to. You're welcome.
8. Just because something isn't newsworthy to you, doesn't mean it isn't to somebody else. The world does not cater to you.
9. "You can't trust the media," is a false statement. Journalists do not go out of their way to lie to you. (Oh and bloggers aren't necessarily journalists)
10. If a reporter calls you. Return the call promptly, please. We work on deadline, and in order to get all the facts, your cooperation is appreciated.
11. Journalists — at least the ones I know — do what they do for the public, for you. (Trust me, we don't make enough to be doing it for the money)
12. A 9 to 5 job... ha!

Another blog I found talks about what PR people should know about Journalists and visa versa. Check it out.

One Weekend at a Time

We all know that there are some people out there that go hungry.
I feel privileged getting to write about the people or groups of people that want to do something to make a difference. In this case they are doing it one weekend at a time.
Even though the city of Flushing is by no means as bad off as Flint, there is still a need there. And some people want to do something about it.
A few churches found that there were chronically hungry children that attend the elementary schools in the Flushing area. Those kids don't eat from school lunch on Friday to school lunch on Monday. The kids have to search for food or go hungry.
I can't even imagine.
The three churches are coming together to provide bags of food every weekend during the school year for the students that qualify.

"Wouldn’t it be wonderful if churches all over Michigan did the same thing?” one of the pastors asked.

By Sarah Schuch
The Flint Journal

FLUSHING, Michigan — Some churches in the Flushing area are teaming with local schools to make sure that students have something to eat between school lunch Fridays and when they return to classes Mondays.

“I know that we have students that would receive breakfast and lunch at school, and that truly would be the only meals they would have,” said Kasey Cronin, executive director for curriculum and instruction for Flushing Community Schools. “It’s inspiring to know we have a community that will pull together and meet the needs of our students and work with us.”

The program, called Bread for Life, started last year with two Flushing elementary schools — Springview and Elms — but has expanded to all Flushing elementary schools this year.

Read more about the Bread for Life program.

Everybody Needs A Hobby, Yes?

I like meeting interesting people. And Pat Lehr was definitely one of those people.
Another reporter was told about a man with a very large collection. Of what? you may ask. Golf clubs. Lots of them to be exact.
After Lehr retired he wanted to add another hobby to his list of growing hobbies — wood carving, robot collecting, working on old cars.
"I do a little bit of everything," he told me.
And then you stepped into his man cave... Also known as his barn.
His main focus is golf putters, which he owns at least 500 of. But his total collection comes to a grand total of more than 2,000 golf clubs. Golf clubs, bags, ball, tees and other accessories were scattered throughout the barn, either hanging up, in piles or set up carefully.
He kept his most loved ones in a room in his barn nicely hung up and separated by colorful tees.
His reason for this collection? "I just got it going," he said.
What a reason. Well when I'm retired maybe I will have a collection too.
But please stop me if that collection is of cats... Thank you in advance.

Meet Pat Lehr of Clayton Township.


By Sarah Schuch
The Flint Journal

CLAYTON TOWNSHIP, Michigan — Some may call it excessive, but Pat Lehr calls it a hobby.

Lehr, 72, of Clayton Township started golfing 10 years ago when he retired from General Motors. And about three years ago, without an explanation, he decided to start collecting golf clubs.

And the collection took off.

Lehr has more than 500 putters and a total excess of about 2,000 golf clubs.

“I don’t know why. I just got it going,” he said. “Most of your golf clubs look the same. Putters are different.”

Read Lehr's complete story here.

Adult in Training

At age 21 I don't really consider myself an adult quite yet. I prefer to call myself an adult in training.
And I definitely have a lot of learning to do.
Here's a few things I have learned:
* When checking the mailbox expect mostly ads and bills.
* I need to spend a little more time cutting coupons and looking for sales.
* Making a meal to leave enough for leftovers should be cut in half unless I want to be eating that same meal for a week or more (I unfortunately learned that the hard way)
* The dry erase board I bought serves the purpose of keeping me organized and not to draw unnecessary pictures and smiley faces.
* A couch is not a necessity but an apartment feels empty without it.
* Running a few times a week actually helps keep me sane.

One big realization I came to while in this middle phase is having a kitten is sort of like practicing for having a child one day.
Sonny is 12 weeks old, full of energy, adorable and chewing on my headphone cord currently as I type. Just as a mother has to baby proof a house, I, too, have had to kitten proof my apartment.

* All shoes with shoe laces must never be left by the door.
* My DVD player was stored in the shelf in my closet when not in use to prevent potentially hazardous electrocution by chewing on the cords.
* 3 a.m. means nothing to Sonny, especially when he wants to play.
* And sometimes I hope if I turn the TV on he will be mesmerized and finally be still for once.



I may have a full time job, my own apartment and a car payment but I still like to make cookies just for the fun of it, color pictures and hang them on my wall and keep a cow shaped cookie jar on my counter.
And I will admit it... I watch the Disney channel. Yup.

Adulthood isn't in full blossom. And maybe it never will be, but for now I don't mind pretending.

My Next Move

I am 21 years old. I just purchased my first dependable car, which was the biggest purchase so far of my life (not counting college). I have a new job, apartment and if I'm being honest, new bills. The good news: I am a college graduate. The bad news: I start paying back my student loan in just a few short months. But I'm looking forward at all I can do now without the weight of classes and more books that humanly necessary.

Well I guess I'm an adult now. My amazing internship at the Jackson Citizen Patriot ended with an offer to be a staff writer for The Flint Journal. That came with a few benefits — the opportunity to come back to my hometown and spend time with the people I love, return back to a newspaper that offered me my first internship and the security of a job shortly after graduating from Central Michigan University. I feel lucky for that last fact. I am probably among the few that have found permanent employment.
Things seem to be going in the right direction. I see journalism also going in new directions. My friend Lindsay Knake was just recently hired by the Saginaw News. The News looks at journalism as a mobile and transparent industry. The reporters can go anywhere and report.(She talks about it a little bit in her blog) Isn't that how it is supposed to be? They all have laptops and cell phones, so in retrospective their desks and work area are everywhere they are. It shows the readers and society that journalism is not a dying art form but one that can move forward with society.

I currently cover the Flushing area. One of the biggest things I want to accomplish while covering my beat is to find amazing people and be able to share their story. I can honestly say that is why I went into journalism. I know along the way I will run into some crazy, difficult and just plain rude people. And I will do my best to smile and nod and do my job with professionalism. Although I have only been with the Journal for two weeks I hope I can quickly push past the learning curve of remembering the multiple steps needed to be successful. I hope to prove myself as a useful part of the team.

My advice to readers of today's newspapers. Don't count them out yet. What's going on in the background is worth the time to see what they can do. As society evolves so does the media. So hey, go out and buy a newspaper. If there were no newspapers, would your world really be better?

Check out what I've been working on so far at The Flint Journal.

ESPN - Controlled chaos

Who knew being a sports reporter could be so fun? I spent Saturday afternoon in the ESPN production truck out at Michigan International Speedway for the Nationwide Series race. I had no idea what I was getting into. 11 mobile units at each race, 19 EVS servers for rand and studio production (high-speed digital recording), 20 miles of video, audio and power cable needed on site at the race tracks, 60-75 high-definition cameras used by ESPN to televise the race and so much more.


Photos by Jake May

When I first walked into the truck I was shocked. All I saw was TV screens and a lot of them. They had so many different angles and choices on what should go up on the screen and the producers were full of energy. Although there were some stressful points they were still laughing and having a great time. Guys were yelling from the back row and from the first row all at the same time. Five or more voices could be coming through the headset at once. Not only did the producers and directors need to choose which camera angle or racer to show but also find room for commercials. Last-minutes decisions were made constantly. Talk about cool under pressure.



Race days busy behind the scenes for the ESPN crew
By Sarah Schuch

BROOKLYN -- Neil Goldberg looks at the NASCAR Nationwide Series race from a different vantage point than most viewers.

Goldberg, a producer for ESPN, watches the race on not one TV screen, but 20 from various angles. Each screen could be separated into as many as nine smaller screens.
“It’s sensory overload for people who come in here,” he said about ESPN’s production truck. “It’s controlled chaos.”

Goldberg and the rest of the ESPN team set up at Michigan International Speedway this week to get ready for Saturday’s and today’s NASCAR races.

A crew of about 60 started setting up all the trucks and equipment Wednesday and, by Thursday afternoon, ESPN was ready to do a broadcast, said Senior Operation Producer Clyde Taylor.

On a race day, the crew expands to about 200 people. NASCAR is such a big deal that most people have two or three roles.

“This show is really about the size of a Super Bowl show,” Taylor said. "So much adrenaline."

Finish the story that ran in the Jackson Citizen Patriot :)