By By Suzanne Monk/The Meridian Star
Dec. 2, 2001
Once a year, at the end of February, The Meridian Star publishes the "Profile" edition full of hundreds of "good news" stories about East Central Mississippi and West Central Alabama.
The community broke new ground last year with the first reader-written Profile edition, aptly called "Profile 2001: By the People."
More than 150 adults and children submitted stories about work, church, school, home and politics. Reporters hit the streets with survey questions about the everyday events of our lives, and another 350 readers answered one of those.
All were included in "Profile 2001: By the People."
Some people were philosophical, some light-hearted, but all of last year's submissions had one thing in common it was some of the most alive newspaper copy we had ever seen.
We said then that we liked the whole idea of reader-written special editions so much that we were going to do it again.
Well, it's time. Profile season is upon us.
This year's edition, called "Profile 2002: The Fabric of America," will be published at the end of February and you are invited to submit a story to be included.
The theme centers around our rediscovery of the United States' national character, and the rebirth of patriotism, in these troubled times. It's about discovering that the things Americans have in common are more important than the things that separate us. It's about the fabric that binds our lives together both the small things and the large.
It's about who we are.
I hope you will be a contributing writer this year. See page A4 for more about this year's theme and give me a call or e-mail me if you have any questions. I will be writing a little more about each of the edition's seven sections over the course of the coming week.
Suzanne Monk is managing editor of The Meridian Star. Call her at 693-1551, ext. 3229, or e-mail her at smonk@themeridianstar.com.