West Virginia Press Association Executive Director Don Smith will visit Mercer and Wyoming counties on Wednesday, Aug. 28, for public meetings in conjunction with writing coach Kate Long’s efforts on behalf of the “Change the Future” program.
The meetings are at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph office and at 2 p.m. in Wyoming County at the DHHR office, outside of Pineville.
Speaking about the meetings, Smith said, “As a former weekly editor, I know there aren’t busier days at a weekly than Tuesday and Wednesday, but … If the community members want to help us, we need to extend a hand. This ties into the 2014 healthy living initiative the WVPA will be providing our member newspapers.
“Kate has done an outstanding job of organizing the meetings and is working with community and health care officials to provide local newspapers with interesting stories about local people. As a writing coach, Kate has been working to teach them to put together entertaining little pieces that will get people talking and thinking ‘Well, maybe I can make some changes too.'”
At the community meetings, Long will present, then ask the people there if they want to commit to a community/press collaborative effort. This is a real chance to get some great stuff, hopefully on a regular basis, to the local newspapers, she said.