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By Steve Parker, Publisher, Blue Ridge Christian News (This originally appeared in the November 2009 Mitchell County Edition of the Blue Ridge Christian News) WOW! I’m blown away. I used to think I was busy… The move into Charlotte is going full steam ahead! Chad Thompson and I have been travelling back and forth, making connections, and lining up our creative team for the Carolina Christian News. The Christian community in Charlotte has been very gracious and seems genuinely excited about what we will be bringing to their city. In a recent positive development, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, which is headquartered in Charlotte and will be celebrating their 60th anniversary in 2010, has given us their blessing. In fact, their ministry will be the focus of our first cover story when we make our debut this coming February! To me, that is just another sign of the favor of God that we seem to be enjoying as we make this expansion. Doors just seem to open. People seem eager to help us. Introductions are made and relationships form. Things come together, and, somehow, God makes us look good! And that’s not all. After we’ve been in Charlotte a couple months, we will begin printing another publication that will be inserted into the Carolina Christian News. That magazine will be called the “Toe River Journal.” This will be a full-color lifestyle magazine on glossy paper celebrating the people, beauty, and culture of Mitchell, Avery, and Yancey Counties. The goal is to promote the Toe River Valley as a site for tourism, second homes, and relocations. So, very soon, we will have 30,000 beautifully done publications going into the hands of Christians in Mecklenburg County every quarter inviting them to come up to the mountains and “sit a spell.” And, of course, we will also tastefully invite them to bring their checkbooks! Many people often look at the Tri-Counties and feel that we have nothing to offer the rest of the world. How wrong they are! The greatest things that we have to offer here are our communities and our lifestyle. And those cannot be outsourced. No factory in China can produce them! It is a blessing to live in a place like ours: low crime, beautiful scenery, relatively inexpensive land and homes, and amazing people all come together to make this a desirable destination for someone looking for a second home or a place to raise their family. And Charlotte is the ideal place to let people know what we have to offer. Many people in Charlotte are looking to get away. Some are just looking for a vacation. Some need a regular place to go for a weekend. Others are looking for a better place to raise their kids. Regardless of what they’re looking for, we can be that place! But most Charlotteans don’t know we exist. It’s time to change that. It is time to get our voice and begin proclaiming who we are. The Toe River Digest will be that voice. The National Association of Home Builders estimates that for every new single family home built, 3.05 permanent jobs are created and $89,216 in taxes are collected. A homebuilding boom here could be an economic engine that brings prosperity and employment to our mountains. When I begin talking about people moving into the region, I often hear many of the natives voicing concern. It seems that some have a negative view of people moving here from outside the area. They are concerned about an influx of “furriners” negatively impacting our way of life. However, consider this: It has been my experience that when people move here from other areas, there are two responses from the natives. If those who come in are arrogant and act as if they are better than the people who live here, they create a great deal of anger and hostility. But if those people who come here appreciate who we are and how we live, they soon find that this is one of the most hospitable places in the world. They are welcomed with open arms and quickly become valuable neighbors. It is these people that we want to come here, people who will value who we are and the life that we live. Using a Christian newspaper as the vehicle to promote our region will help to insure that we draw people who share our values, appreciate our communities, and want to be our neighbors! If you’d like more information on what we’re doing, give us a call here at the newspaper. We’d be glad to talk with you. We will also be holding three informational meetings at the Pinebridge Inn on December 1, 2, and 3 for those who are interested in being involved with what we are doing. We invite you to join us! But space is limited. So we need to hear from you by November 25. Call us at 828-766-7048. Get ready! 2010 is going to be an amazing year! It’s “the year we get our voice!” Steve Parker may be reached at steve at brcnews.com or by calling 828-766-7048. CLICK HERE to RSVP to our informational meetings! |