Happy New Year.
We at Cleveland Magazine, like many of you, take a little time each New Year's to reflect on the year that was and make plans for the 12 months to come. In doing so, we asked ourselves a few questions. What did we do well last year? What impact did we have? What would we like to accomplish in 2005?
One of our favorite accomplishments in 2004 was the launch of our semiannual Charitable Events Guide. We tried to involve as many nonprofit and charitable organizations as we could, and we got a great response. Nonprofits took to the Web at www.clevelandmagazine.com/ charitableevents and input their events into an easy-to-use calendar that's accessible to the public. In January and July, we took the information from those online listings and published the Charitable Events Guide in Cleveland Magazine. Extra copies of the Guide made their way to Cleveland's philanthropic community.
The Charitable Events Guide, in both forms, became a valuable way for philanthropic organizations to increase attendance at the many and varied events throughout Northeast Ohio. Working with Cleveland Magazine as a partner also helped charities inform a public that's eager to participate, but doesn't always know where to start.
We found out a little about ourselves, too. It turns out that a lot of people on our staff already knew where to start and already contribute their time and energies to all sorts of causes. Many employees of Cleveland Magazine and our parent company, Great Lakes Publishing, are active in local churches and youth organizations. They also bike, walk, run, cook, volunteer, work the phones, organize outings, serve on boards and raise funds for the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, the Cleveland Green Building Coalition, the Diabetes Association of Greater Cleveland, Make-A-Wish Foundation, the March of Dimes, the Downtown Merchants Association, EcoCity Cleveland, Friends of the City of Cleveland Kennels, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the Press Club of Cleveland, the United Way and
the USO.
Other companies have joined us in our efforts. Our online partner, Kintera, is a national firm that makes the Web-based portion of our Charitable Events Guide run and offers assistance to nonprofits that need a little help reaching a wider audience. Locally, Clear Channel has shown a strong commitment to the Guide, making it possible to reach more people every time out.
That brings us to our last question: What would we like to accomplish in 2005? It seems Cleveland Magazine and charitable events are a natural fit. We give back what we can to the community we strive to entertain and inform. Now, we'd like more of you to join us in our efforts. In the January Charitable Events Guide or at www.clevelandmagazine.com/charitableevents, you can find something for everyone.
So, stay informed. Stay involved. We'll check back in July to see how all of us are doing.
Correction: In December's "First & Main" supplement to Cleveland Magazine, the new library being constructed in downtown Hudson is incorrectly referred to as the town's first library. The Hudson Library and Historical Society resides on Aurora Street and was established in 1910.
