Women are the nicest, kindest people.
And, apparently, they have been just waiting for someone to ask them, “Who are the women in your community who are making a difference? I’d like to write a magazine story about them.”
Ask and ye shall receive.
Recap: 24 Hours in the Thumb.
Yesterday afternoon I drove west and north and landed in Sandusky to meet with some folks to explain my Great Lakes Woman Project.
My goal was to make some real, face-to-face connections with people outside of my own community, explain my project, and hope they could recommend to me women who could become story subjects.
My goal is to build connections with women in various pockets of the state who I can reach out to regularly and ask, “It’s time for me to write about women in your community again; Who is making a difference today?”
Someone I know in Port Huron connected me with a group that was meeting in Sandusky on Thursday evening. I reached out and was warmly invited to their meeting and added to their agenda.
Before I’d finished speaking to them last night, someone handed me a piece of paper with a woman’s name and contact information on it.
Before I left the room, I had two more names.
I spent the night in Bad Axe and did some further recon there today.
I wandered into city hall looking for the chamber of commerce and was informed by the deputy city clerk, “We are just their mailing address…” and, because she was so helpful, and you know me, Little Miss Charm School Patti, 
I chatted her up and ended up with a couple more names/ recommendations for potential stories.
I then wandered across the street to the public library and explained to the library director what I was looking for.
She looked at me VERY dubiously. She took my business card and said, “I’ll email some names.”
Suurrre. I just wasn’t feeling the warm and fuzzy from her. I TRIED using my best Charm School Patti on her, but it did t appear she was having any of it. But, I gave it my best shot.
And Holy Hannah.
Within the hour, she had emailed me the names of seven or eight women, complete with full descriptions about how every woman has contributed to the quality of life in Huron County.
Holy Hannah indeed!
I am so grateful.
I finished my day of recon up in Port Austin, at the tip of the Thumb, where I popped into The Cove, an artists collective, and made a connection with the woman working there, then headed over to the Port Austin public library, where the library director provided a solid lead and a promise to send more.
I was greeted by a woman at every business I walked into today and, as soon as I explained what I was doing and what I was looking for, every one of them IMMEDIATELY connected me to women making a difference in their communities.
Someone’s name, or several names, popped into their mind.
I am so excited about setting up some appointments with the women who were recommended and sharing their stories.
Stay tuned!
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