I was perusing Facebook recently and saw that someone had shared one of my columns. Below, in the comments, I read, “Another rah rah column from Mr. Specht.” At first, I was a little miffed. But after a moment’s thought, I realized that I should wear “rah rah” as a badge of honor.
While perhaps not the intention of the commenter, the idea that my column was somehow “cheerleading” Minden was very true. After all, showcasing what makes our community great should be heralded.
Does Minden and Webster Parish have some very real, very complicated problems? Of course. But mitigating problems and showcasing our strengths are not mutually exclusive. We can, and should, do both.
We often get so involved in the problems, that we fail to take a step back and look at our strengths. Perhaps a little “cheerleading” can help us in that area.
Today’s Press-Herald does just that. Our annual Profile Edition, now in magazine form, is inserted into today’s edition. It is the culmination of the work of many — both at the newspaper and in the community.
Profile is that “step back” we all need. It reminds us why our community is a wonderful place to live, work, play and worship.
In addition, Profile is a great tool to show others why they might want to follow our lead and call our community “home.” At 52 pages strong, Profile is not short on stories, facts, figures and images that really put things into perspective.
I would like to thank everyone who made Profile 2017 possible. The advertisers are the financial backbone of this company, and without their support, the project would have never gotten off the ground.
Our sales staff, both in Minden and in Bossier City, did an excellent job of make the opportunities available to the many advertisers.
Our news team, and those in the community who provided information, outdid themselves with interesting and relevant content.
Our graphics and production staff made sure Profile was a top-notch product from the front cover to the back page.
And if it weren’t for our circulation staff, you wouldn’t be reading this right now. I am eternally grateful to them for timely delivery.
There are so many who deserve thanks. It is our largest project annually, and this year’s edition is one of the best ever.
So you could say this is another “rah rah” column from Mr. Specht. I agree.
Everyone who played a part in Profile deserves a “rah rah.”
Our community deserves a “rah rah.”
It is my hope this is one of many reasons to celebrate as our community moves forward. Let’s not only point out the problems, but let’s work together to offer viable solutions.
Perhaps we could also try to agreeably disagree. Or is that too much to ask in this day an age? I certainly hope not.
Let the “rah rahs” continue.
David Specht is President of Specht Newspapers, Inc. He may be reached via email at dspecht@press-herald.com.