While many of you know me as an author and PR/media consultant, I began my storytellerโs career as a newspaper editor, writer and layout designer for The Ridgewood News. This picture shows a current edition of the paper alongside the highly official press pass I was issued so many years ago.
Yet thereโs a story behind that storyโฆ.
In 1974, my family relocated to the Big Apple bedroom community of Midland Park, NJ--- a career opportunity move for my then-husband.
At the time, my daughter was of kindergarten age. As an Irish Catholic mother, I wanted her to attend a Catholic school. The problem was that Nativity School---the closest to our new home--- was facing dwindling enrollment and in danger of closing. Undaunted, I joined with other parents in the parish and staged a โSave Nativity Schoolโ Campaign.
For my part, I did what came naturally. I wrote a heart-warming press release about the school and, as luck would have it, distributed it to The Ridgewood News just in time for the state-wide celebration of Catholic Schools Week. I then followed up with phone calls to the editors of the various sections of the newspaper back in the day--news, community, education, religion---pitching the story as integral to the people of the 35 New Jersey towns who subscribed to and read the paper.
That Sunday when the Ridgewood News published there were FOUR articles about this tiny Catholic School in that one edition---an unmistakable breach of newspaper standards.
The end result was that Nativity School continued---and I was offered a job at The Ridgewood News as a newspaper editor, writer and layout designer.
The beginning of being recognized and rewarded for being who I amโฆ a storyteller.
#HeartandSoulStoryteller