No Wi-Fi, no worries: How a Roddickton family paused supper to help us make the suppertime news

You always hear stories about how Newfoundlanders and Labradorians would do anything to help you in times of need.

Then there are the times you get to experience it.

We — reporters Leila Beaudoin and Alex Kennedy — recently took a trip up the Northern Peninsula to Roddickton-Bide Arm. The town of less than a thousand people was on wheels ahead of the NHL Legends Hockey Tour game in their community, and we couldn't wait to tap into the energy.

Feb. 1 was our big game day. Filing for TV, web, and radio — time is everything.

But if you live in Roddickton-Bide Arm — or most places on the Northern Peninsula, for that matter — you know finding a reliable internet connection can be a challenge.

It's especially a challenge when you have to write on the road or send high-definition video across the island to our server in St. John's. But just like everything else, it all worked out thanks to people willing to drop everything to help.

When we mentioned to game organizer Darrell Randell that we needed good Wi-Fi, he immediately invited us to do our work from the arena's community room. It was filled with canteen goods and loot bags for kids, and it was clear there was still much to be done before the town's biggest event in years — but it didn't matter.

The arena's Wi-Fi was helpful, but it still wasn't enough to get video to St. John's. With a tight deadline staring us in the face, that's when we called Danny Simms.

Simms, a player in the next day's game who ended up netting a hat trick, had already set us up with a back-up plan. Minutes later, we were sitting in the dining room of his in-laws, Travis and Inga Gillard.

Armed with a Starlink connection, we got the video showcasing the community in on time for the 6 o'clock news. We all cheered when we realized we had pulled off the team effort. That connection helped us highlight the community and its people, and it wasn't possible without them.

It also felt like being in your own mother's house. Despite our sudden arrival, Inga brought us a plate of snacks while we were filing, and they paused their dinner to help us set up camp in their dining room. We wish we could have accepted their invite to stay for supper, but unfortunately, duty called.

And that was just one example. We felt a continued sense of community pride and gratitude that told us we were welcomed.

It's part of what makes reporting in Newfoundland and Labrador so great, and we can't wait to see more of it in our travels.

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