The Edgecomb town columnist is searching for her replacement. Jo Cameron, 79, has written the weekly column since 2002. She is looking for a replacement due to health problems: her own and her computer’s. Cameron has “slipping knee caps” which causes her mild pain. She also has sciatica which causes her greater pain.

“I’ve got some health issues that’s making me unreliable. I can’t get around as much as I used to,” she said. “Also, my computer collapsed and I lost all my contacts. I’ve gotten a new one. I’m slowly learning how to maneuver it.”

In her column, she discusses community events. In November, Cameron saluted three residents who participated in the “Walk to End Alzheimer’s” in Brunswick, praised the achievements of five elementary school students who received recognition for “Making A Difference in Edgecomb,” and welcomed the town’s new deputy Emergency Management Agency director Robert McFetridge.

“I read the papers to find out what’s going on and say “Hurray for so-and so,” Cameron said.

She replaced Ruth Bryant in 2002 who also searched for her replacement. Bryant was at a community event when she asked “If anybody wanted to do the column.”

When Bryant offered the column to a willing participant, Cameron accepted the job. Cameron enjoys writing the column despite the never-ending challenge of finding enough material.

“It is fun. It’s a great way to become involved in the community,” she said. “The toughest part is getting people to tell me stuff. Now that I’m having trouble getting around and lost most of my computer contacts, I began thinking it was time for someone new.”

Cameron moved to Edgecomb with her family in the 1940s. She married Bruce Cameron of Bristol and the couple later moved out of state. Upon their retirement in 2000, they returned to Lincoln County.

Cameron will continue to write the column until she finds a replacement. Her column appears in three local weekly newspapers and on Edgecomb’s municipal website.

“I will do it until someone expresses interest. So far, no one has contacted me,” she said.

Prior to retirement, Jo Cameron worked as a librarian and prepared bibliographies for scientists. Bruce Cameron was a medical biochemist. After they married, his research work took the couple to Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Ohio. He studied sickle cell anemia, a hereditary blood disorder.

Bruce’s research also took the couple to Lebanon and Nigeria.

Jo Cameron hopes to continue volunteering for the Coastal Senior College Curriculum Committee. She records the group’s minutes for its meetings at the Lincoln Home in Newcastle and converts instructor’s course descriptions for the curriculum’s catalog. 

As Cameron continues writing the column, she encourages her contacts to re-send email addresses to rebuild her list. Her email is jocam@tidewater.net