Tips for sharing your story suggestions

By Doug Halberstadt
Sports Columnist

I often get story suggestions and have to make a decision about whether I feel it is something I can form an opinion about or at least write something meaningful about it.

I’d like to thank people for making those suggestions, and I hope they continue to do so. Sometimes, even if I don’t write about that specific idea, it may lead to something else related to your idea.

One of the best ways to make a suggestion is to send me an e-mail. That works exceptionally well. It could be as simple as this one I received this last week:

Could you please publish the following article in your paper as soon as possible?

Triple Play Gold girls fastpitch 12U,13U,14U and 16U will be holding tryouts for the 2011 season on Thursday, Aug. 12, from 6-8 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 15, from 10-noon at the Don Schmidt fields located at Sandy Hollow Road and Kishwaukee (behind Riverdahl Elementary School) 3250 Kishwaukee, Rockford, IL 61109.

Thanks,

D. Johnson

The only thing I would suggest is that you include a phone number so I can contact you for more information. For instance, I would have asked, is there a fee to try out for the Triple Play Gold team? What equipment should each girl bring? What if it rains? How many players will make the team? When does the season start and end? Those are just a few of the questions I had. Other people may have a question of their own, that’s why a phone number for more information is almost a necessity.

Keep in mind, it is beyond my ability to try to respond to every message I get. I would also like to suggest that if you really feel passionately about a story or idea, write a guest column or send a letter to the editor. That might even work better than using my e-mail address!

I hope those suggestions might help get your message out where people can really utilize the information. I’m happy to try to do my part. Keep those cards and letters coming, and thanks for reading our paper each week!

Doug Halberstadt can be reached via e-mail at Dougster61@aol.com.

From the Aug. 11-17, 2010 issue