About six weeks ago, an email inquiring about summer internships at Tallapoosa Publishers’ magazines department popped up in the editors’ mailbox. Attached to the email was a resume for Ella Sawyer, a rising senior at Samford University who is studying journalism and mass communication, with an emphasis on public relations and a minor in advertising. Ella hoped to get a bit of journalism experience while spending the summer at her parents’ lake house in StillWaters. Having grown up at Lake Martin, she loved the idea of contributing to Lake’s stories and helping with our busy summer schedule.

Ella is a longtime lake-lover, having visited Lake Martin every summer since she was a child. She grew up watching daredevils dive headfirst off Chimney Rock, and she has many fond memories of ordering ice cream from the floating Yellow Top Ice Cream Shop. She has spent many hours riding and falling off of inner tubes.