After spending the first 20 years of his life in Port Moody, Patrick Penner finally returned to his hometown as a reporter.

He spent his youth falling on snowboards, getting hit in the face by hockey pucks, and frolicking on boats in the Port Moody Arm.

After graduating from Heritage Woods Secondary School, Penner wandered aimlessly for a year until his loving but concerned parents gave him an ultimatum: “Rent or college.”

With that, he set off for the University of Victoria to wander a little less aimlessly between books, lecture halls, beers and back again.

Penner completed his undergraduate studies in 2017 with a major in political science and a minor in history.

It was absolutely no surprise that translating this newly acquired education into professional opportunities proved to be quite a challenge.

After Penner had worked for a short time as a simple laborer in various menial jobs, his fruitless wandering came to an end.

He decided it was time to dive back into the books. This time with concentration.

Nine months later, Penner received a journalism certificate from Langara College and was awarded the Jeani Read-Michael Mercer Fellowship upon graduation.

When that scholarship earned him a front-page story in the Vancouver Sun, he knew he had found his calling.

Penner moved to Abbotsford to spend the next three years learning from experienced reporters and editors at Black Press Media.

Assigned to the Mission Record as the city’s only reporter, he developed a penchant for investigative and civic reporting, eventually being nominated for the 2023 John Collison Investigative Journalism Award.

Unfortunately, due to dwindling resources and cutbacks in local media, Penner was forced to look for alternative ways to deliver news.

When a position opened up at the Tri-Cities Dispatch, he knew it was time to leave the ship and sail back home to beautiful Port Moody.