Democrat welcomes summer intern

JEFFERSONVILLE – Newly transplanted from Florida, Lilly Parnell, 21, joined the staff at the well-renowned Sullivan County Democrat this week.

After a year and a half of living at home, Parnell traded her beachy suburban lifestyle for the chilly small-towns of Upstate New York. She knew she would be closer to her favorite place in the world, New York City but wouldn’t have to pay New York City prices before officially entering the workforce.

She lived with her mother, boyfriend, and two siblings since the beginning of the pandemic. As the world shut down, Parnell was forced to move out of her dorm at Stony Brook University and complete the remainder of her sophomore year at her home near the Gulf of Mexico.

“It was a full house but I think it was the best place for me to stay during this tumultuous year,” said Parnell, “I got to spend quality time with my family and save some money.”

During this time, Parnell and her boyfriend, Alexander Unser, 21, remained enrolled at Stony Brook, taking all of their classes online for the past three semesters. Parnell recently finished her junior year at the College of Communications and Journalism.

While taking classes from the comfort of her room, Parnell began to develop a love for the art of cooking and the unique culture that surrounded food. When her time wasn’t spent watching Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations or the newest baking competition on Netflix, Parnell started her own small catering business. She spent nearly 15 hours a week creating and cooking healthy meals for the ladies working in her mother’s office.

“Although I had a job working in a spice and tea retail store, I wanted to do something I loved and make some extra cash in the mean time,” said Parnell. “I spent all of my free time researching recipes, grocery shopping, writing menus, and crunching numbers to ensure I was making a profit.”

However, by the time May of this past year came and went, Parnell and Unser felt that it was time to head back to New York. They made a plan to live at his mother’s house off of Schoolhouse Road for the summer, both pledging to find internships in their respective fields before returning to Long Island for their final year at Stony Brook.

“I’m excited to spend this summer in an unfamiliar place with new people,” said Parnell. “I’m ready to have fun but also work hard, make some connections and maybe even eat some good food along the way.”