Although I don’t often share personal messages to my ezine subscribers [get a backstage pass to what’s on my mind], today I’m posting an excerpt from this week’s edition of MTN News as background for how I decided to come up with the Friday PSA Feature. What I left out in my ezine message is the project I was working on – “Buzz 41” – an ezine communication to connect the district’s five schools with parents, staff, the community and the media – considered quite an advanced tactic for schools in 2001 . . .
September 13, 2007
Greetings!
It’s two days and six years past
September1 11, 2001. I’m the first
one to say it’s time for speakers,
marketers, etc. to stop mentioning
the date in their presentations and
publications.
For two reasons: it’s a day that bears
emotional significance that distracts
your audience’s attention and the
reference is overdone.
Why did I just break my own rule?
Two days ago, I got an email from a
colleague who was with me that morning
reminding me of our 9/11 experience.
Our client at the time was the local school
district. We had a meeting scheduled with
them for September 11 at 9:00 a.m. –
minutes my first grader, fourth grader and
seventh grader went off to school.
Being in the school district’s headquarters
and on the emergency communication
response team seemed the only natural
place for me to be at the time.
And, yet we were . . .
clueless, helpless, but hope-full.
A few weeks afterwards, I got an assignment
to photograph the cover and interior images for
the district’s annual report.
My subjects?
First graders releasing butterflies and
fifth graders replanting a prairie. Healing
and new life took the place of desperation.
Recalling that day and the few weeks
afterwards took me back to an emotional
spot I hadn’t visited in awhile.
Truth is, most days I’m so blessed and grateful
that I don’t even begin to realize how well off
we are in the U.S.
So, I’m starting a new Public Service
Announcement [PSA] feature. Every Friday
on my blog, I’ll talk about a charity and give
them free space. Most of the time, I’ll write
the PSA, but if they have one ready to go,
I’ll use that.
This week’s PSA is Unitus, a charity dedicated
to ending poverty worldwide by funding micro
businesses.
From September 13-16, you can contribute
directly to a cause that’s dedicated to
end world poverty.
Watch for more information tomorrow or
take a few minutes and watch the video now.
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