These are not easy days in the newspaper business.
I could tell you I've seen it worse, but then I'd be lying.
But every once in awhile, something happens to remind you of the importance of what you do, and the important function we still fulfill every day in the communities we serve.
Yesterday I received a phone call from Darby Borough Chief Bob Smythe.
It's not exactly a secret that this newspaper and the chief have not always been on the same page.
But I have to give him one thing.
Two actually.
The chief is nothing if not a straight shooter. And he always returns a phone call.
This was actually the third time the chief had called me in recent weeks.
A few weeks back, he called to ask if we could do a story to give some publicity to the special dinner and fundraising effort underway to help the family of Newtown Police Sgt. Clinton Cunningham. The young father of four had died suddenly of a brain hemorrhage while working out.
I decided to do a little bit more. We did a quick story on the dinner, but I also asked reporter Rose Quinn to do a more extended profile piece as our lead item on Sunday, April 22. It would serve as one more reminder of the fundraiser scheduled for Springfield Country Club last Saturday night.
I asked Rose to reach out to the family, including Cunningham's wife. I was not sure what their reaction would be. As it turned out, she invited Rose into her home, sat her down at their kitchen table along with her four kids, and talked for couple of hours. Rose also talked to Cunningham's brothers and parents.
The piece ran with the headline "Forever Blue."
The chief called me after the story ran to thank me for all we had done to help out.
He called me again yesterday.
He wanted me to know that we had made a difference, that the evening was a huge success in raising money to help the Cunningham family, and that everyone was talking about the story the Daily Times did and how we stepped up to offer our help.
Compliments don't come much better than that. My wish is that we never would have had to do that story in the first place. Clinton Cunningham died way too young.
We tried to honor his memory, and help his family as they try to put their lives back together.
That's what community newspapering is all about.
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