Why am I writing about an end of the year report today? It’s better to be thinking about it at the beginning of the year than sometime in October when you realize you can’t properly quantify and report on what you’ve accomplished.

Even in the digital age, people want to see tangible proof of your activities. All of the tweets, blog posts and status updates you post are important, but sometimes you’re a drop of water blasting from an ever more powerful fire hose. It’s a lot easier to condense all of that information into something that’s a little more manageable.

The video above makes for part of a very compelling deliverable to donors and sponsors of the museum if they so choose.

An SD card (or DVD if you so choose) containing a piece similar to the one above showing the faces of the folks that went to your events throughout the year – in addition to short video pieces from folks like the museum’s director and curators talking in slightly more depth about certain issues. It could lead to a much cheaper way to deliver the annual report to your board and their interested parties. It’s also content for a single page (or section) on your site that contains links to the content produced for the deliverable:

• All videos/interviews
• PDFs containing budgets and more detailed information about projects

You could also link back to older pieces on the blog already written about the various projects, potentially encouraging more folks to poke around and become more familiar with your digital presence.

You may still decide to hold an annual meeting event and give it to attendees but you can also make sure more folks with access to your website have more information about exactly how you succeeded in the previous twelve months. Your fans on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, et. al., may also be willing to help share the page link with their friends – some of whom will probably not be as familiar with your efforts as you’d like them to be (at least until after they’d looked over all that stuff).

It also helps give you that warm, fuzzy feeling inside you need every once in a while to know you’re accomplishing something and other are aware of it. It does help… and it’s not like it hasn’t already been considered by some larger organizations out there.

I’m sure there have to already be some pretty cool examples of this actually being carried out – whether it be for a local arts organization or a commercial district revitalization program – by smallers orgs. If you know of any that have a “year in review” type page, please share the links in the comments section below. I’ll see if I can’t find any out there and link to them on a page here as well.

There’s already a great sampling courtesy of the Chronicle of Philanthropy (and I’m personally a big fan of what the New York Public Library’s done in recent years).

There are two memories replaying in my head quite often right now. The first one takes me back to Huey’s on River Street in Savannah at one of our regular after-work gatherings. Ben Murkison was still relegated to a stroller but found a way to reach behind my chair and nearly pull off picking my wallet out of my pocket. Yes, it’s something worth laughing at (especially now).

The other time was at the house Betsy and I were renting on East Bolton Street when Ben and Boomer (my cat) met for the first time. The stare down on the stairs between the two of them is still something of legend.

Ben, now 10, and his brother Brian (7) were in a car accident shortly after Thanksgiving. I found out about it after Betsy saw it on Facebook. Yes, Facebook. It’s been our connection to their father David’s updates and the prayer requests.

It’s also the basis of yet another compelling chapter in this young man’s life.

I’d try to tell most of the story myself, but instead I’ll share the words used by the folks at Land’s End on their Facebook fan page:

We just learned of a touching story through one of our customers. His friend was in a serious car accident with his wife and two sons over the weekend in Georgia. When the oldest asked what was being done for his younger brother, who is in critical condition, his dad told him that people all over the world were sending their thoughts and prayers. When he asked “Even from Fiji?” his parents said yes, and he started a map with pushpins to keep track of all of the kind thoughts people were sending. Since Santa is a good friend of ours, we’re sending him to the hospital with a pushpin from the North Pole and a bag of goodies for the boys. And, here’s one giant virtual pushpin from Dodgeville, WI. If you’d like to contribute a virtual pushpin to his map, type your location in the comments below. We’ll share it with the family.

It’s hard not to realize the true connective power of the Web (and humanity) when you take a look at Ben’s map. It’s even tougher to do when you take a look at the video of his visit from Santa shortly before being released.

I’ve never really stopped thinking about what it means to be a friend online nowadays. People tend to be quick to dismiss the digital sphere as one that serves no purpose. If it doesn’t provide some sort of instant gratification or joy, then why use it?

Similarly, some brands wonder why they don’t see any real impact from their online presence. In both cases they also seem to be quick to connect only with those they feel comfortable with – those they already know – instead of reaching out to those unfamiliar with them. They stick to messages that only broadcast their latest deal or product without showing they can be human as well. It makes me wonder if they ever truly thought out why they wanted to be online in the first place.

I’ve long wanted to be able to share a story that meant something to me to demonstrate the power of social networks – a way to cut through the drama of Klout scores and whether or not you need to be plugged in. The ability to also highlight something to remind us that the Christmas spirit isn’t just regulated to the twelve days we sing about or decorations adding to the cluttered world we already find trouble maneuvering through is an added bonus. It’s nice to see folks leverage their platforms for the benefit of others instead of making it more about a popularity contest.

There’s a young boy and his family spending another Christmas in southeast Georgia who can now share first hand just how connective this digital world really can be – and what it can mean for those who need support.

Maybe it’s supposed to be about doing what’s right and leveraging the network you have to bring more people together?

By the way, consider this one very large pushpin from Birmingham, AL.

-#-

The “Prayers for the Murkison Family” group on Facebook currently has 500+ members. There’s also an account set up at Wells Fargo to help cover medical expenses and beyond for Ben and Brian (the Murkison Family Fund). Donations can be made at any location across the country.

-#-

UPDATE: David has shared via Facebook on Sunday with some sad news.

…Tests Friday did not go well.

The doctors all agree that the injuries Brian has can not be over come. They are all surprised that he has made it as long as he has. We told only a few and stopped posting updates. We expected his time on this earth to end yesterday. Once again—Brian has exceeded expectations. He is remaining pretty stable. It is only a matter of time.

Ellen and I have come to terms and are at peace with this…

Our requests for this Sunday is for peace for Brian. We know he Is going to a better place. Our other request is for our family in the healing process. I have been most touched by the many tributes from other kids. Many that knew Brian— and Many that did not. Please say a prayer for them as this news gets to them.

We continue to read the updates and tributes to him. They are still motivational to us.

Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers at this time.

Close to 250 people gathered at the Birmingham CrossPlex to add their voice to what organizers hope will be a collective vision for Alabama’s largest city. Goody Clancy is serving as lead consultant for the city as they attempt to craft its first comprehensive plan since 1961. Among those in attendance were a group of young people who lucked into finding some adults wanting to hear their thoughts about the future of their city.

Some gathered for the half-day session may have found some of their suggestions a little over the top (their wanting more kid-friendly malls, more arcades immediately come to mind), but their voices also carried hope for things adults may find more helpful in making the city all that it can be…

They asked if they could get more libraries and better schools. Those unsure of whether or not the construction of the CrossPlex and its swimming pools were really wanted by area youth needed to only hear their first recommendation – they want more.

They hoped for another Railroad Park – perhaps a pre-cursor to the idea that the city’s existing green space (and the ability to find out what is currently available easily) may need a refreshing.

More importantly than any suggestion that was voiced or drawn by that group – the fact their words were listened to by those in attendance – seriously.

It’s important to make sure that your established leaders get their say. Listening to the young professionals in the crowd is also important as it’s becoming glaringly obvious that they are becoming an important part in the renaissance of many global cities. All of that said, we need to do a better job of engaging those we normally want to see play but not hear from as it is their city we’re borrowing for but a moment.

They also seem to not have the baggage of boundaries or disappointment that the adults bring to the table at times. They aren’t afraid to dream & to do what’s necessary to make sure it happens.

This was the first opportunity for public input into the plan, but definitely not the last. As the process continues, I’m hoping other children attend and that their suggestions are recorded and considered as seriously as those being made “for their own good.”

Anyone have any good ideas for how to get the voices of children involved (and how to best collect their suggestions)?

NOTE: I’m one of the members of the 38-person steering committee for the comp plan.

Photo: Children amaze me. acnatta/Flickr.

The one pictured off to your left was one I took great delight in capturing on film. It’s a fully functioning piece of rolling stock representative of what was once part of the world’s second largest streetcar system – in Birmingham, AL.

You’d find it hard to believe that Alabama’s Magic City could once claim that title nowadays. One part of the problem is evident as you realize that even some of the simplest errands in the world contain the words “get in the car” and “once you get off the Interstate…” The number of tweets and status updates possible because of bumper-to-bumper traffic during rush hour also wouldn’t help those who’d say it wasn’t true.

It’s probably safe to say that “white flight” was a major cause of the exodus of neighborhood stores – it’s a little tough to serve a neighborhood when the inhabitants keep on leaving. The exodus also led to the slow disassembly of the network. The turbulent and violent episodes related to transit during the 1960s (and before) in the city rightly left many uncomfortable riding the bus system that was left behind after the streetcars were retired – and all of the subsequent systems that have attempted to fill a gap.

I’d argue that the future of transit in Birmingham, AL – and everywhere else that views effective, sustainable transportation options as a major issue as we continue through the first half of the 21^st century – is tied to the issue of walkability.

###

The second time Betsy and I visited New York City, it was around Thanksgiving 2006. We’d spent a lot of time in the car so we looked forward to some time off the road.

We took the A train to Cathedral Parkway (110^th Street) and walked over to the station’s namesake, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Apparently by the time we’d finished walking, we were down by Madison Square (for those not familiar with the city, that’s around 23^rd Street – though Bets swears we got down to 14^th Street).

We didn’t necessarily walk straight through – we did stop for lunch (and did way too much window shopping and staring up at buildings). The one thing we did know though was if we got too tired to keep going at any point during the day, we could hop on a bus or train and get back uptown.

###

There will be some in Birmingham that’ll suggest I can’t compare what’s available in New York to what’s possible there. This is where I would remind them the city used to host one of the world’s largest systems…

People I talk to about the issue in general (regardless of city) seem to focus on long-distance transit – something that I think would do more to help remove obstacles in seeing additional acceptance of digital media consumption due to the potential length of the trip more than anything else – instead of the short trips that make up a significant amount of travel on most systems.

Walkable communities tend to give people a reason to be far enough from their car to consider hopping on the bus/streetcar/rail to get back into town. I’d also suggest it would encourage more businesses to consider setting up shop and building new homes within the city limits. You might even see some of those not so good rankings for the city insofar as health issues go drop – significantly.

This isn’t to suggest that a reworking of a system must happen before or after such a movement would be undertaken; it most likely has to happen at the same time. Developers will want to see evidence their investment into the future of the metro area’s core is worth it. Transit advocates would have to remind critics that the problems that currently exist didn’t suddenly manifest and it’ll take time to see long-term results. It’s not like local-based developers haven’t already seen the benefits elsewhere.

My favorite example of a system that works (or one that I remember working) is located in Ottawa, Ontario. Built primarily as a bus system, OC Transpo was able to tie large transit hubs into shopping center parking lots. There are also sidewalks located along most of the system and most of the streets feeding to where the stops are located. The system covers a lot of ground - including most of the metro area (similar in size to Birmingham’s).

I don’t know if we’d be able to truly enjoy a case of building it and then people coming. The pieces have to be moving in tandem to show folks that the focus is genuine and sincere – and one that will take government and the private sector to happen. Maybe then we’d also be able to get more jobs located closer to where the workforce lives, thereby reducing that distance to travel).

It would be great to see the streets of Birmingham, AL enjoy a scene similar to the one enjoyed by visitors to the West Coast currently – someday.

NOTE: This post was a result of one written for my personal blog, Dre’s Ramblings, on July 12, 2011.

Photos: An old friend of the Magic City. acnatta/Flickr; Double Decker Stops at Westboro Station! m.gifford/Flickr.

The quick turnaround possible nowadays thanks to the digital world means it’s easier than ever to get the shirts designed and out the door. It also means that many more shirts can exist with several organizations (hopefully) benefiting from their sales.

The tornado relief efforts under way here in Alabama have allowed several people to introduce new t-shirts to the country and the world – all hoping to help keep awareness levels high.

I decided to take a moment and list a few of the ones I’ve seen online in the last 11 days. This is by no means a complete one, but it should give you an idea of the creativity, options and variety available for those interested in supporting the cause:

We Are Alabama
$20/shirt
At least $10/shirt | American Red Cross

Love Your Neighbor
$20/shirt
$10 from each shirt | Week of Compassion

Alabama Crimson Tide Tornado Relief T-Shirt
$19.95/shirt
All proceeds | UA Acts of Kindness Fund

“Sweet Home Alabama” – Maggie Crisler
$15/shirt; $5-$7.50 shipping
All proceeds | American Red Cross

One for Y’all Storm Relief Shirts
$20/shirt
All net profits | CFGB Alabama Tornado Recovery Fund

Rebuild the South – Donate to Tornado Relief
$20/shirt
$10 from each sale | American Red Cross tornado relief efforts

ALTogether
$20/shirt
All proceeds to American Red Cross

Southern Strong Tees
$20/shirt
All proceeds to the American Red Cross

T-Town Never Down T-Shirts
$15-17/shirt
All proceeds | American Red Cross

AUnite T-Shirts
$15-25/shirt
All proceeds| American Red Cross

Our Hearts are in Dixie
$21.80/shirt
All proceeds | American Red Cross (Northern Alabama)

Rebuild the Heart of Dixie
$20/shirt
All proceeds| American Red Cross, Save the Children & Samaritan’s Purse

Help Our Communities Rise Again
$38/shirt
All proceeds | American Red Cross Tornado Relief Fund

Together We Stand
$12/shirt
All proceeds | City of Pleasant Grove, AL

We Are Alabama (Zazzle Store)
$14.40-$24.70/shirt
Net proceeds | American Red Cross Alabama Tornado Relief efforts

A quick glance over the list should also make you aware of the fact that we’re not always aware of all of the organizations involved in a particular effort. Hopefully it helps raise awareness for these groups as well.

If you know of any other shirts that should be included in this list, please comment below and I’ll see about adding them in a timely manner.

You may also have some comments and links to pieces talking about other examples of how t-shirts are used to help spread the message…

If you’re wondering about options available to help folks out down here, check out the Alabama Tornado Relief: How You Can Help resource page created by Alabama Possible.

They asked people to share their ideas for a piece of property one block in size currently serving as a municipal parking lot. As I recently wrote in a column for B-Metro Magazine, while idea competitions aren’t new, the idea of it being open to everyone and not necessarily being design-driven is.

It led to more than 1,100 idea online submissions from across the United States and thirty countries. It also allowed the city to realize that it could continue to dream. The top 10 ideas are currently available for review at the competition’s official website. The photo above shows members of the ten teams on stage earlier in the evening.

One of the individuals in attendance at the announcement was Anil Rathi, CEO of Idea Crossing. The company’s primary focus is helping administer competition (as was the case with this one – using the company’s Skild platform). It was founded in 2002 in Culver City, CA.

Rathi talked with me for a few moments after the winner was announced about the significance of the lessons learned from this particular competition:

It’s long been an issue among those in the various fields associated with economic development – how do you get buy-in from the community and motivate them to imagine what is possible? Perhaps incentivizing as a way to seed the process is the way to go. It’s not like it hasn’t been tried before.

While living in Savannah, I took part in a project that also used prizes as an incentive. The Memorial Health Feel Better Challenge (it’s web presence has disappeared) attempted to motivate citizens in the Coastal Empire to take better care of themselves. I personally lost 40 pounds and started regularly biking and meditating. I realized about 3 months in that while I still checked in at Savannah Mall and the official website, it became less about the incentive and more about the routine.

Perhaps that will be the result of the continued execution of this competition; an opportunity to cultivate a city to focus more on ideas and action than waiting for someone else to come in and do it for them. If providing a cash incentive will help move communities forward, it may be time to see just how great of a transformation it could spark.

So what do you think about the idea of prizes encouraging grassroots community engagement?

Photo: Prize2TheFuture finalists on stage. acnatta/Flickr

I’m sure there are a few of you who’ve discovered me either through the Carnival of Journalism or through online conversations like #journchat & #wjchat asking that question as well.

One of the suggested best practices of establishing a presence online is to find ways to stand out amid the noise of popular buzzwords and catchphrases. I’ve spent the last few months slowly changing my job title from freelance writer and community news publisher to that of urban conversationalist.

While I did grow up in The Bronx (and not that far away from the birthplace of hip-hop), my choice of title has nothing to do with the music scene or with the idea of only reflecting on those issues of importance of African Americans. It has everything to do with how much I love to talk about what’s happening in cities.

A quick search of the Internet led me to these two definitions courtesy of Merriam-Webster:

Urban – adjective – of, relating to, characteristic of or constituting a city.
Conversationalist – noun – one who converses a great deal or who excels in conversation.

Using these two definitions as building blocks, it stands to reason that an urban conversationalist is someone who talks about cities, a lot. That’s at least how I approach it.

I studied architectural history in college, spending my time figuring out exactly how and why cities work. Spending four years behind the front desk of The Eliza Thompson House made it easier to fight a lifelong issue with stuttering (one that occasionally still likes to make an appearance every now and then) while talking to visitors from around the world about the Hostess City of the South and why it worked. If you spend enough time sitting in front of a laptop or monitor you feel that starting a conversation online is easier, a la Mack Collier’s post on the subject. Starting that same conversation offline when you’re an introvert is much harder, though it’s easier when it relates to something you feel comfortable talking about.

The community news site that I operate, The Terminal, focuses on a particular city and the issues affecting it. Its goal is not to beat the daily newspaper on the story but to get folks to realize why that story may be important to the future of the region. I’ve also been lucky to spend the last year writing pieces about how the ever-evolving world of online communication affects the transformation of a city. Previous chapters in my work career were in the field of urban revitalization. These stops in Savannah and Birmingham involved making people aware of the good things happening in their cities and those people who were working hard to make that change permanent, whether they be politician, business owner or resident.

I’d argue that there are a lot more urban conversationalists out there than people realize. I’ve just chosen to share more of my thoughts in written form than most.

Whether looking at issues involving transportation, housing, urban infill, the need to talk about these in detail rather than sticking your head in the sand is extremely important to me and others potentiallyto the future of successful cities large and small. That last sentence takes on significant importance as our gas prices continue to rise – the idea of tackling urban issues is not relegated to major cities but to those small towns striving to provide for their residents as it becomes harder to justify long drives to accomplish simple tasks.

It’s also important to take a look at how the virtual is becoming an necessary component of our physical world. I’m enjoying seeing just how these tools are shaping how cities develop already – and it will only continue to do so as time marches on. There’s also the issue of how the sharing and accessibility of information helps shape the future of the urban space.

It’s a lot to talk about. It’ll definitely keep me busy for a while. I hope now that you’ve got what I hope is a better explanation of what that title means to me.

Now, what does it mean to you?

Or at the very least, what kinds of topics do you want to see tackled as this site moves forward?

Photo: The sea of humanity in Times Square. acnatta/Flickr

I couldn’t agree more. The original notice had been sent out via email eight (8) days before the second asking for consensus on a meeting time. No one ever answered, leading to the second email only providing three days notice. I wouldn’t necessarily agree with the tone of the message though it’s one of the problems of the digital age. Things like tone and meaning don’t always translate very well when typed.

I was recently involved in an event where I thought I’d given folks “way too short notice” and didn’t think anyone would show up.

I was so wrong. Social media provided the tools and the means to do something that seemed impossible. It also ended up being quite tasty.

I’d been wondering how to mark surviving four years as an online-only publication about Birmingham, AL. The website shares its birthday with the city’s newspaper of record, The Birmingham News. It also happens to be Pi Day – a celebration of the mathematical constant created back in 1988.

One of the many ways people mark the day is with pies. The most inspiring versions of that approach served as the basis of Greensboro, AL’s PieLab. Food will always bring people together, sometimes leading to some incredible collaborations and friendships.

I decided I’d pose the question of what to do to the site’s Twitter followers:

Our hope is to celebrate our 4th anniversary on Pi Day (Monday). Anyone in #bham have ideas about how?

March 9, 2011 3:19 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite

@bhamterminal

bhamterminal

The answer from my buddy Brett Bumeter in Charlotte, NC served as the spark for an idea.

@acnatta @bhamterminal maybe you could have a pie sale fund raiser

March 9, 2011 3:41 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@brettbum

brettbum

We didn’t sell pies for a fundraiser, mainly because the idea of selling pies to raise funds for a for-profit in a city with so many non-profits hurting financially just didn’t seem right.

What did happen? Well, someone decided to take the reigns and run with the idea:

Ok, folks: PieCampBHM.com is up. We're hammering out details and will email soon! #signup #piecampbhm cc @bhamterminal

March 9, 2011 9:23 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@socialmediabham

socialmediabham

Later that evening Daniel and I received messages from Beba at Ted’s Restaurant and Woody of FinerGrind Coffee Roasters, two locally-owned businesses, offering to help in whatever way they could. We now had our venue and our coffee. We also had two other venues offer their space, leading to locations for future events.

Daniel immediately had already snatched up a domain for the gathering and we created a hashtag for the event – #piecampbhm. Forty-five (45) people had already signed up for the mailing list before midnight – and we didn’t even know what kind of event we were doing yet.

The focus immediately shifted from being about the celebration to being about the pie. That was fine, but a couple of us thought it was a good time to help raise awareness for a local charity. I ended up asking people to donate to the Birmingham Education Foundation, a new non profit working to improve the city’s school system, if they couldn’t attend or didn’t feel like baking a pie.

By the way – all of the initial organizing of this event took place via Twitter between 2 p.m. March 9 and about 10 a.m. March 10. Four of us met once on March 11 to go over logistics during breakfast. PieCamp Birmingham started at 6 p.m. March 14. That’s a little more than five days folks.

I’ll admit that once I realized that it was forecast to rain on Monday evening, I was a little concerned. I figured I’d just wait and see what happened…

We ended up with 30+ pies, including pizza, Moon Pies, pear and gruyère pie, chocolate fudge pie with a pretzel crust – you get the picture. We had more than 60 people brave the weather to come out and enjoy pie and each other’s company. More than 30 people sent messages apologizing for not being able to attend, wanting to know when the next one would be (tentatively July 22).

Local NBC affiliate Alabama’s 13 sent Chris Pollone out to check it out, leading to a mention during that evening’s 10 p.m. broadcast.

It’s taken way too long, but if nothing else I wanted to publicly thank Daniel, Beba and Woody for wanting and pushing it to make something I’d always wanted to try happen.

The event proved a belief I’d long held while operating in this space. It doesn’t really matter how you contact people. The issue is more than likely whether or not they’re motivated to make a change or to take action in the first place.

Five days, way too short notice. But when you have 30+ pies and dozens of people turn out to talk face-to-face, was it really?

Photos: Not enough time (27/365). LifeSupercharger/Flickr; PieCampBHM 2011 midway through. acnatta/Flickr

LinkedIn InMaps gives you the ability to actually see how folks are connected to you and to each other – providing you the chance to possibly change how you approach using the site. It may help you make necessary changes in order for you to truly live up to what you say you are in your profile headline, including where you may need to strengthen connections with regards to your area of focus.

I’m thinking that one of the interesting things to pay attention to over time is how your map changes as you add new connections and as others change careers or disconnect from you. It will no doubt also encourage you to expand your network just to see where those connections could lead.

LinkedIn Today gives you a great opportunity to look at what those connections are reading and what the watercooler topics. Ike Pigott nailed it with his description earlier today on Twitter:

FINALLY! Someone did Paper.Li the right way. And it's called "LinkedIn Today" | http://ike4.me/litd

March 10, 2011 1:25 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@ikepigott

Ike Pigott

While I spend most of my time curating news topics here in Birmingham, I’m looking forward to seeing just what this will do in terms of helping me get a better grasp on those issues I want to write about more often. These are supposed to be people that I trust after all.

If you’re an economic development professional, the ability to get a snapshot of what the businesses you serve are concerned about before heading out to talk with them is unmeasurable. It may also help you determine just how to fill in the missing pieces of the market mix in your area.

I’m sure there are other benefits from these announcements, in addition to what others have been saying about it today.

What are some of the ones that you’re noticing?

Image: The author’s very own LinkedIn InMap.

During a recent trip to Memphis, TN, I stumbled across the sign that you’re seeing to your left if you’re visiting the site. Seeing it brought a smile to my face and made me wonder if some folks have become too dependent on digital reminders and flashy commercials to get a message across.

The neighborhood I currently live in has had a few recent issues come up that folks felt residents should have been aware of immediately. While I’ve had a chance to meet people who live nearby, I didn’t get the opportunity to meet those living adjacent to me until all of us had been visited by some neighbors that were more interested in breaking into our homes than in conversation.

I’m grateful for knowing my neighbors (at least enough to wave and take over mail that’s been delivered to the wrong house), but I long for an opportunity similar to that of Kim Severson when she first arrived in the South. As people continue to feel free to move around the country, it’s tougher at times to know exactly how to plug in. It also makes it difficult at times to truly gauge public sentiment on any local issue.

It was a little easier here in Birmingham years ago when they mailed neighborhood meeting notices to residences at least quarterly. Now that it’s not currently feasible to do that, it’s tougher to know exactly what’s going on. Some folks don’t even want to know (though they should care, right?).

Enter the sign.

Signs still serve a purpose, even if it’s to drive people to a digital outpost to get that information. I’m sure that stickers would work too, but signs truly say something.

They can still be your first line of offense when attempting to make sure folks are “in the know” about community happenings. They’re hard to miss most times and they’re able to go a lot more places than you think.

Sometimes we forget just how much power a simple sign has over those who drive past it. Thankfully, there are those who still recognize and respect that power.

As we rush to save money and make it “easier” to get the word out, it may not hurt to remember that not everyone’s über-connected. Even if they are, they may appreciate the effort to help remind them to unplug every once in a while.

Do you still think that signs serve a necessary purpose?

Photo: Signs of information. acnatta/Flickr.