First, what motivated you to write on YourHub in the first place, and what keeps you coming back?
Friends suggested I write an article about our sons' unique experiences.
Last spring, the youth basketball team I'd helped coach for four years completed their final season. They were an extraordinary group -- and they'd finished agonizingly close to winning the state Gold Crown championship.
A barbecue was organized for the team about six weeks after the last game.I wanted to honor these boys in some way. I wanted to capture what all the effort and struggle had been about. I also wanted to honor the work of their coaches.
Because I'd been a history major in college and still keep a journal, I was able to check my notes and compile a story tracing their accomplishments.
I brought my team history to the barbecue. Everyone liked my story, the parents particularly. A couple of the moms told me I should submit it to YourHub.
Although I'm well aware of blogging, I never considered the concept of citizen journalism. But the more I thought about it, the idea of informing our community of the boys' accomplishments was appealing.
The basketball team history was too long. So I decided I'd chronicle what happens when you're clearly at the end of a good era and submit it to YourHub.
We live in such a great community. There are so many worthy stories, so many people doing incredible things in a wide variety of endeavors.
My son and his friends learned basketball from tremendous men like Brian Schow, Dave Mahder and Jason Grooms. The boys learned the value of hard work, commitment to excellence, and the true meaning of teamwork. The lessons learned from these volunteers will be an inspiration for them far into the future. It's a story that needed to be told. YourHub gave me access to tell it.
This summer I came across another person doing heroic deeds as part of their daily activities. Suzy Gordon boards animals for people in the Tri-Lakes area at Sundance Kennel in Palmer Lake. She's also become a go-to resource when people discover abandoned pets.
YourHub allowed me to tell the happy story of how Suzy cared for our golden retriever Daisy, before turning her over to my family.
What Suzy does for these animals out of the goodness of her heart is nothing short of remarkable. Yet she does it without any thought of recognition. She does it because she knows all animals deserve love and care.
Shortly after the story appeared, Suzy called to tell me several people contacted her after reading my story. Many offered a home for the Pharoah hound I'd described. Suzy found a great family for this animal.
That call was tremendously gratifying. It was exactly what I'd hoped would happen when I submitted the story.
Second, what is interesting, fun or informational about citizen journalism?
If you only read the main sections of the newspaper, you'd think this is a pretty sad world. YourHub allows everyday people the chance to tell the other side of the story. Anyone can have a voice in describing the wonderful things they see happening in the Tri-lakes area. Wonderful things happen here everyday. Your neighbors are the heroes.