Wanted: Neighbors who like cameras

DIXON – I spent Monday morning going from business to business, making my pitch for Know Your Neighbor.

The weekly feature is designed to bring everyday people into the paper for just being themselves.

The questions aren’t difficult: Where do you work? Where do you live? What do you like? Dislike? That kind of stuff.

I love the answers that surprise me. This past weekend’s – which I clipped out and keep in my purse as an example – was of Betty Croft, 85, of Oregon.

Who is the one person in the world she’d like to meet? Her mother, who died when she was 16 months old.

It’s the sweetest and saddest answer to that question I’ve ever seen.

What stumps person after person, though, is the photo.

I usually get the same face. I’ll give you a hint: it’s not a happy face.

It’s probably one of the toughest parts of my job. I either get lucky right away, or I hit a streak of people who are really uncomfortable about having their picture taken.

Part of it is my fault. I really should be thinking about the feature whenever I go out on assignment, and find people as they’re out and about.

I forget, though. So this is my request to the residents of Dixon – Give me a break. Shoot me an email or visit me during my office hours, and let’s get all my Know Your Neighbor features done for the next year.

Dateline Dixon is a weekly column discussing whatever Dixon is discussing.

Emily Coleman has “office hours” from 1 to 2 p.m. Wednesdays at Books on First, 202 W. First St. Feel free to stop by to ask questions, suggest story ideas, or just chat.

She also can be reached at 815-625-3600, ext. 526, or at ecoleman@saukvalley.com.