Did you even take post-it notes in 1978? Photo: Mitch Teich
October 16, 2021 –
It’s a colorful time of year in the North Country. I write this column from my usual place – the recliner in the living room, which gives me a view of the front yard and the field on the opposite side of the street. The maple tree in our garden is light green and yellow, while the one across the street has already shed most of the leaves. The burning bush spindle tree along our fence line is bright red. And our neighbor’s oak gave no indication that it is aware of the time of year. Most of the time it throws acorns at us when we walk the dog.
On the kitchen table, the leaves are light blue.
But wait! They’re not really leaves! (Really, Mitch?) They’re light blue sticky notes that Lizette Haenel, NCPR’s development director, attached to the extension and thank you letters I signed and sent.
I sign a lot of letters this time of year because, hey, it’s our fall fundraiser, and it’s the time of year when a lot of people are helping to keep NCPR strong. I write things like: “Thank you very much for your loyal support of our work” and “Your contribution makes a real difference”. But it is enough exercise that my hand cramps in the end and the inscriptions look more like “Thank you ft snrrrrr mftuii”. I’m sorry if you received one of these letters. Our gratitude and my handwriting don’t always go well together.
However, the sticky notes are my inspiration. I find out who is participating for the first time, who is celebrating their 10th year of sponsorship, who has played their important role since I was in elementary school. It’s a reminder that public radio is really a community. Longstanding donors and first-time visitors. People in Canton and Tupper Lake and Shelburne and Connecticut and Oregon and Belgium. It’s a great feeling to know that the work we do every day affects so many people from so many walks of life.
So if you made your first contribution during our fall fundraiser, thank you very much. If you have a collection of coffee mugs and caps that go back to four different versions of our logo, thank you. If you’ve read these columns and heard NCPR, thank you – even if you haven’t contributed. But you know that our unmatched coverage of the Nordland, our music, our website, our smart speaker skill, my helicopter – they are all made possible by the generosity of this public radio community.
And do you know there’s a pad of sticky notes out there just waiting for you.
Thanks very much.