The first time I drove to Farmville, it was for an interview with Farmville Newsmedia.

I had friends who went to Longwood University, and was excited about potentially starting a writing job at The Charlotte Gazette, which reported stories with a similar community focus and heart to my job at The Free Lance-Star, in Fredericksburg.

I was initially nervous when making the drive, but as I progressed something about the expanse of fields on either side made me feel simultaneously soothed and energetic.

I got to downtown Farmville a little early, so I parked a mile or so away at the Barbara Rose Johns Farmville-Prince Edward Community Library. Eating lunch and looking out into the water and trail across the street, it felt like this was an area where stories had been created. More excitingly, it felt like a place where stories were continuing to be created.

When I was offered the job, I found that to be true, more so than I could have imagined.

An example of such stories involves Piedmont Senior Resources, a nonprofit that brings home care, advocacy and resources to the elderly in the Heart of Virginia.

The agency recently received a grant from Subaru for the hundreds of personalized Christmas gift baskets that employees and volunteers had packed for the people the nonprofit serves.

Crafting the 325 baskets in record time and making sure not one person was left out, the grant was well-deserved, particularly because many of the elderly recipients may not have gotten Christmas gifts otherwise.

I’m excited to work for The Charlotte Gazette. I’m both excited, and expectant, of the stories that are happening, and the amazing people who make it possible.

Emily Hollingsworth is a staff reporter for The Charlotte Gazette. Her email address is Emily.Hollingworth@TheCharlotteGazette.com.