Page 122 - South Mississippi Living - January, 2021

FINAL SAY
MICHAEL
SUNDERMAN
Publisher, M2 Media Corp.
2020 was one the most difficult years we as a community and a nation have faced in a long time.
We were all tested by COVID-19 and the economic and spiritual damage it caused. Businesses were forced to close entirely or work under very difficult restrictions. In every sector, companies big and small had to adapt to the changing environment and develop new plans if they were to survive.
We were filled with heartache as we lost jobs and loved ones.
Physical distancing took a toll on us socially. We were unable to visit with elderly family members for their safety, our children and teachers had to adapt to distance learning and a lack of interaction that they were not accustomed to. Nonprofits, which rely heavily on large gatherings to raise funds, saw most of their events postponed or cancelled causing huge shortfalls in their campaigns when the needs of the community only grew.
And yet, through all of these headwinds, we all witnessed so much goodness. Neighbors came out
after Hurricane Zeta to check on each other and lend a helping hand in cleaning up debris. People gave generously to charities and those in need, even as their own finances took a hit. Churches amped up their community outreach, and friends and neighbors spent countless days serving up meals for volunteers, out-of- state linemen and those who lost their homes in the storm.
But in the end, the Coast, as it has done so many times before, rallied and bonded together, putting aside our differences and working hard to find common ground, even voting in a beautiful new state flag that will unite us even further and send a strong message throughout our nation.
Mary and I are cautiously optimistic about what 2021 might bring. Vaccines will begin to reach the population, giving us hope for a much brighter future – a future that includes hugging our loved ones, traveling to see family and friends and the recovery of so many businesses that
Mary and Michael Sunderman
have struggled.
At M2 Media, we believe in South Mississippi and have
taken this time to invest in our team and our products, purchasing new racks and constructing a new circulation building to handle our growing readership and customer demands. We will use our publications to continue to shine the light on all the people, places and events that make South Mississippi one of the best places to live and work.
Happy New Year! Michael Sunderman
122 | January 2021
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living