When I first became a publisher, I worked for a Texas community newspaper publisher named Granite Publications.
The folks running that company were some of the smartest in the business and I learned tons there. I do not remember if it was President Rick Reynold or owner Jim Chionsini who said it, but one of them once said to me that working for the local paper is the greatest opportunity for community service possible.
That is truth.
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I’m proud of the service our paper provides to its community. Recently, we mustered more than 50 volunteers to help out at Greenhouse Ministries, and we presented the organization a $5,000 check.
We have more checks, through the Gannett Foundation, coming to six local organizations.
More importantly is the service our employees provide on their own time. My wife and I teach three- and four-year-old Sunday School and I work with a men’s group. Mealand Ragland also teaches a youth group at her church. Taylor Loyal is active with the Smyrna Rotary Club, a great organization.
I can go through a list. Everywhere I turn, the DNJ staff is hard at work helping some non-profit organization, civic club or church make their community a little better place.
It is a great example for all of us, and the source of the Daily News Journal’s real impact on the community.
A great Twitter feed to follow is @clay_morgan (if I do say so myself) or @dnj_com.
