News : The most wonderful place on earth isn't at Disneyland, it's in Vinton

I just need to face it. I'm getting soft in my old-er age. If I were sitting and talking to my friends I'd add on, "that or I've just had the crap kicked out of me enough that now I cry over everything." This of course would trigger someone in the group to say, "You need counseling!" I wouldn't disagree, but then, don't we all? Anyway, I just about turned into a blubbering old idiot in front of the post office tonight. I hadn't collected my mail for a few days, so I thought perhaps I should clean out the mailbox. I didn't expect much to be in there because it was only the 3rd of the month and I had just sent out the bills for advertisers a couple of days ago.

I was surprised when I opened the little door that there were a handful of envelopes in there. "Wow!" I thought, "Everyone must've been ready to send in their payments this month!" It didn't even register that you folks would be so quick to send in donations already!

I sat in my car, opening envelopes, and reading the sweet notes. These notes are like gold to me. As I tallied up the checks, my chin started to quiver. Then the eyes started to fill a bit, stinking allergies...I was reminded of every other time in the past 11 years that I had to ask on behalf of the business for a donations to cover the big expenses. Every time, without fail, you've all come through. And every time I felt so humbled that you did.

Fundraising is a weird but necessary evil. When I have to ask for donations, I feel like those mega-rich TV preachers who sit in their mansions, fly in their jets, and drive their Lamborghinis. Well, I feel like that, MINUS the mansions, jets, and Lamborghinis.

I'm supposed to say something like,

"Who was there when the town was without power during the flood and Vinton needed a central location to dispatch information?" and everyone answers, "Vinton Today!"

"Who doesn't charge for Obituaries, which cost families an arm and a leg?" "Vinton Today!"

"Who offers their news FREE?" well you get the drift. I'm supposed to sell you on Vinton Today.

After 11 years, 7,316 people following Vinton Today on Facebook, and closing in on 23.5 million pageviews, I probably really don't need to do a lot of hard selling on Vinton Today.

You all know that Monday - Friday, for the last 11 years, there is an email that arrives with stories for you to read at about 11:45 a.m. The community knows that to get information into every home in town, all they have to do is send it to vintontoday@hotmail.com and the gal on the other side of the screen will quickly send it out to the community.

To date, Vinton Today has had 20% of the needed funds sent in to cover the cost of the new website design. I am pausing here as I shake my head in amazement, you people are awesome! I am never more humbled than at these times. Thank you for your kindness, your generosity, your love, and the thoughtfulness that you shared with your gifts and notes. Thank you so much.

If you can help with the other 80% to cover the expenses of this site, you can now donate through Venmo @VintonToday or you can mail a check to Vinton Today, P.O. Box 7, Vinton, Iowa 52349.

Unfortunately, your gifts are NOT tax-deductible.

Thank you once again for your consideration.