Perhaps my favorite thing about living in Oregon is experiencing all the seasons. I find that each time a season is about to change, I’m looking forward to the next. This is a narrative very fitting to life: No matter what season you are in, good things and change are on the horizon.
Hello, my name is Larissa Bork and I am a new reporter for The Chronicle. I am thrilled about this new season in my career.
I was Born and raised in the Eugene/Springfield area, attended Sheldon High School and later the University of Oregon to study English. Upon graduating high school, I didn’t know what I wanted to do for a career, but I loved reading and writing. Even though it was overwhelming, I knew that this next season would teach me so much if I was brave enough to do it. Looking back, I am so thankful for my education. It was in college that I truly realized my passion for writing, telling stories, and seeing history through literature.
At the Chronicle, I want to transfer this passion into the field of journalism and use my skills to tell beautiful stories about the people and places here.
A little bit more about me: favorite things to do are running and crocheting and playing recreational soccer. My favorite genres to read are memoirs and contemporary fiction and I recently ran the Butte to Butte, my first official 10K race, finishing with a time of 1:02:56. I plan to begin training for the Eugene half-marathon, which is next year.
In the fall and winter, I love cuddling up with a crochet project and a cup of tea or coffee. In the spring and summer, I spend a lot of time reading in parks, coffee shops and in my hammock. I also like to make day trips to the water and play board games with my friends. My favorite spots in the area are Mt. Pisgah, Off Kilter Koffee, and Dexter Lake.
I am also so excited to announce that I just got engaged to the love of my life and will be getting married in the fall. I am so thankful for my fiance, Mervyn Garcia, and I can’t wait to be his wife. He has been the greatest support system during this transitional time in my life and always pushes me to be better.
Long story short: this is the most amazing season of my life and I am so excited to share it with you. I can’t wait to write about the new things that are happening in your life as well.
Being a homebody at heart, it makes me so proud to be a part of this local newspaper that seeks to serve the community. I have been so warmly welcomed by everyone in and outside the office thus far. While entering this new season of life, I want to ask you for your help and for your patience with me as I am always learning. If you see me around, please come and say “hi” or feel free to send me an email. I would love to meet you.
Lastly, I believe that words are crucial to how we experience the world and I find it rewarding to unpack meaning from what I read. At The Chronicle, I hope that readers find meaning in my stories and are left feeling educated and empowered. I love to cover unique feel-good stories about local people and local businesses. I also love to write about health and wellness and anything that has to do with art or books.
During my time at The Chronicle, I hope to learn more about the community and sharpen my skills as a storyteller. My eyes have already been opened to how much pride there is in Springfield, Cottage Grove, and Creswell and how much these communities seek to make their cities great places to live and visit. I hope my stories make the people here smile and even more proud of where they live.
Larissa Bork is a reporter for The Chronicle. Reach her at [email protected]