I have been a resident of Fremont my entire life. It’s a great city to grow up in: My family is there, I went to school there, and I’ve held jobs there. But when I started attending classes at Cal State East Bay last fall, my life transitioned from Fremont to Hayward. And my transition has been one of discovery: for the last year I’ve seen why this city really is the Heart of the Bay.

It’s the strong community here that makes Hayward unique. While working for The Pioneer Newspaper, I’ve attended a lot of city events and I’ve noticed two things: There is always a large turnout. And, even with a room full of people I don’t know, I always feel included.  Hayward has that small town feeling in a large city format.

I think that the Pioneer is a voice for the people of Hayward and that our articles reflect the community, the lifestyle and issues of our residents.

These last few weeks we have covered two stories of unexpected loss. On Wednesday, July 22, Sergeant Scott Lunger of the Hayward Police Department was shot and killed in the line of duty. Hayward had not lost a police officer on the job since 1987, according to the Officers Down Memorial Page.

Within the wake of tragedy, the residents of Hayward leaned on each other to get through this difficult time. City Hall closed, the Hayward Rotary Club held a memorial breakfast for the public, hundreds of people attended the public viewing at Chapel of the Chimes, and thousands attended the funeral at Oracle Arena last Thursday. The city and its government banded together to say goodbye to a man who was a part of this community for more than 15 years.

As residents began to recover from losing a beloved officer, news broke a week later that 17-year-old Mt Eden High School graduate Kionta Murphy was shot while walking home. The same day of the shooting, family, friends, educators and members of the community gathered for a morning vigil.

“Everyone is here because they loved your brother,” Kionta’s mother, Theresa Murphy said to his younger sister during the vigil, according to KTVU news. The love and support that this community hands out is what makes it so unique. When times are hard, no one shies away from lending a helping hand.

While no new information has been released in Murphy’s case, it is a story that the Pioneer staff is following.

Beyond the tragedies that the community has dealt with in the last few weeks, there are also bright moments that residents should be aware of.

Hayward City Council met on July 7 to discuss a new Community Center that will aim to provide employment and health services, financial stability classes, a new tech center and pediatric center, job training, and services for the homeless.

The Pioneer will be trailing the community center and any new updates that happen.

Until the community center is built, there are other ways to get involved with the Hayward community. This weekend is the 33rd Zucchini Festival. Dubbed the “Back to the Zucchini Festival,” the event will take place in Kennedy Park from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The festival is $10 and a great way to meet people from all over Hayward. If there’s one thing I know about the people in this city it’s that they make you feel welcomed.

In the end, through good times and bad, the Hayward community knows how to stick together.

While Hayward itself has been dubbed the “Heart of the Bay,” it is really  the people of this city who deserve that title.