It's Our Tenth Anniversary!
When I started out with Whidbey Island Macaroni Kid 10 years ago this month, I knew it was going to be a long journey. I knew was that I know a whole lot about events and activities in the area, and I wanted my neighbors to enjoy them.
Macaroni Kid, as a network and brand, offered me the opportunity to focus on providing information, in an attractive and accessible format.
Hardly anyone on Whidbey Island had heard of "Macaroni Kid", and back then, since my kids were much younger, I was often seen in the company of small children -- so many people assumed I "ran a preschool".
In ten years, I raised my kids, went on vacation, had surgeries, and managed multiple asks of my time -- and, all of the other things that a person experiences in a decade.
The time I could devote to Macaroni Kid varied through all of these events. As my kids grew older, I was able to move Macaroni Kid up higher on my priority list.
However, Whidbey Island Macaroni Kid ranks in the top twenty-five percent of all of our 500 network Publishers!
I have published almost entirely weekly, for the past ten years -- even as our communities experienced venue shutdowns and event cancellations.
When family activities shifted from "going out", to "staying in", Macaroni Kid shifted with you.
I was with you, providing a variety of guides to virtual events, at-home fun, etc.
Now that the world is opening up again, 2022's spring, summer, fall, and the holiday season should be full of things to do throughout Whidbey Island.
As I celebrate my 10 years of being the "Macaroni Kid Gal" -more officially your Whidbey Island Macaroni Kid Publisher,- and reflect on all of the time that has passed, I have to say it wasn't always easy. In addition to raising children and a decade of life events, I encountered Macaroni Kid network/admin platform changes and outages, late-late night work sessions, and all sorts of other obstacles.
I am a life-long resident of Whidbey Island and I care about those who live here. I provide Whidbey Island Macaroni Kid to inspire you to make great memories, connect with your community, and with each other.
Whidbey Island Macaroni Kid, I am proud to say, also serves our local non-profit organizations. Much of the advertising space on this website, and my time to promote the non-profit news, is given free of charge. We live in great communities, with superb and essential organizations that serve a variety of needs. Anything I can do to assist them, I am all in!
Whidbey Island Macaroni Kid has grown so much in our reach and presence on Whidbey Island. Every week, it takes dozens of hours to get (most) of my work done. Every event listing added, email reply, image creation, and guide updates add up to a whole lot of time spent to form what you see on our website and in our weekly emails.
Blood and sweat were spent as I packed up my "Road Show", set up at local events, and greeted the public, to grow Macaroni Kid across our Island. I love however, going out into the public, handing out information, and finding out what my readers want to know more about.
I would not be able to celebrate this Anniversary, without the love, encouragement, assistance, cheerleading, patience, input, and support of my family and friends.
Sponsors of Whidbey Island Macaroni Kid, over the years, have also contributed to your continued reception of all that Whidbey Island Macaroni Kid offers you.
Whidbey Island Macaroni Kid has a whole lot of ambassadors out there - people who tell people about this resource, and who consistently meet me with a compliment and offer to hand out more cards.
Those of you who send me event info, tag me in Facebook posts, like and share WIMK posts, and invite WIMK to events so that we can reach more of our neighbors - you have played an important part in keeping Whidbey Island Macaroni Kid vital, informed, and in the loop so that we can present the information our readers depend on.
I am fueled by those of you who greet me at events and say "Thank You", or share a story of an event you attended because you read of it on Macaroni Kid. You are why I do what I do.
Of course, without readers and followers, there also would be no Whidbey Island Macaroni Kid. I don't take your "opting-in" lightly. Each and every day, from week to week, I strive to author features and content that is beneficial to you.
I know I am missing a mention of some of you, but I hope you know who you are, and that I am grateful.
And now I say, "No Gifts Please!" - your gift to me would be for you to tell someone about Whidbey Island Macaroni Kid, forward your weekly newsletter to friends, or share our social media posts.
"Thank You" To All Of You!
With much appreciation and in service to you,
Amy
**Birthday cake image credit to Teresa Besaw of Whidbey Weekly!
And, Thank you to Karina Andrews of the Whidbey News Times for their article on our Anniversary!
