There are a number of reasons why I decided to run a double issue instead of two monthly issues. Some were logistic, some were financial and but the main reason for the double issue is...I’m swamped! No joke. There has been a boom in sales and visibility. I’ve had the good fortune to win a couple awards (Oh, I’m gonna talk about it!) and I have been running all over, getting to know some important folks and making some important connections that should help the magazine elevate to the next level.
But before I get into the cool connections I’m making I want to talk up some of the folks that have been talking me up.
First there is my dear friend Danielle Gletow. You know her if you read the mag. She runs One Simple Wish, a really cool nonprofit that grants wishes for kids all over the country. I’m a big fan because I had so many wishes while in care. It turns out Danielle and I are near the same age, similar personalities and sense of humor. We became close friends, to the point that my kids have played with her kids at her home in New Jersey. She and my wife are hug when they see each other kind of friends and I make the trip the Trenton whenever I get restless for some much needed travel time in my car. So, we’re buddies. In November she honored me with the Fostering Success award from OSW. Yeah, pretty cool, huh? Hang on tight, it gets cooler. At the Night of 1000 Wishes Gala OSW holds as a fundraiser to grant a ton of wishes at once, I was presented with said award. Now comes the mind-blowing part. Legendary rap icon Daryl “DMC” McDaniels of Run DMC handed me the award! WHAT?!?! I know. To top all that off, it turns out I CAN give a good speech. It was truly one of the most memorable moments of my life.
Next I want to recognize Kathleen Strottman of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) who I hounded repeatedly about my intentions to win an Angel in Adoption award. I’m a pretty confident guy when I know I’m doing something the right way. I’m an adoptee and former foster kid who makes sure his national magazine about foster care has a section devoted to kids in care who want to be adopted. Doing it the right way. So I knew that the Angel in Adoption award, which is an award given to people who do something noteworthy in the arena of adoption, was something I was worthy of receiving. You get the award from your state Senator, which is a cool perk. Senator Bob Casey was my Senator and I was excited to meet him (I’m a big fan of his Dad who was the PA Governor back before I knew or cared what politics were), unfortunately there was a shutdown in government and he was needed to deal with that situation. I’m understanding guy, besides I had my wife with me. It’s a rare treat for me to see my wife all glammed up and able to travel with me. It’s tough to pull that off with three kids. I had a great time at the awards ceremony and star studded gala that followed the next day.
Okay, so that gala was very cool as well, here’s why; WOLVERINE! I’m a goofy starry eyed kid trapped in a smart older guy’s body. When I found out Hugh Jackman was accompanying his award winning wife to the gala, I could barely contain myself. (As I’m writing this I feel like I’ve told this story in the mag already....I’m finishing it anyway. Cool stuff doesn’t happen to me every day) I did the best I could to get close to him but to no avail. I’m not paparazzi worthy I guess. I listened to Willie from Duck Dynasty, Leigh Ann Tuoey and her husband Sean who were entertaining as the emcee duo and a slew of other uplifting speakers. It was an incredible experience. My only regret was that I didn’t have a chance to pull Kathleen aside to tell her “I told you so” (with a goofy little brother smirk) and how honored and grateful I was for the opportunity to have the magazine receive some attention.
I did all that while putting together this double issue. What a monster of a task this one was. Had I known going in that a doubled workload would feel like a triple workload, I may have gone a different direction. But I think it paid off. This is a really great issue. A little lighter than some of the issues the magazine has coming up. I wanted to end the year on a more entertaining note.
A full year covering foster care with all the rough stories month after month is a tough gig. I won’t lie, it wore me out a bit this time around. The first full year was so exciting that I hadn’t noticed the toll it took on my health, physical and mental. The novelty of starting a company from scratch hasn’t gone away but it has mellowed. I’m now focused on getting more advertisers in the hopes of getting the magazine into retail shops. I know I can make Foster Focus the first foster care magazine to go mainstream. If I can pull that off then foster care can be on par with adoption, ending the stigmas. That’s the hope.
I won’t be upset if I never see Foster Focus when I’m walking through Wal-Mart...but it’d be cool! I’m overwhelmed with the readership I have now, to add a retailer to that equation might just make my head explode. If it means no kid has to feel bad about being in foster care I’ll be the headless Editor of America’s only monthly foster care magazine. That would be one heck of an angle!
I hope you enjoy the issue. Despite my whining, I enjoyed putting it together for all of you.
I think you’re gonna like it.
Owner/Editor - Chris Chmielewski