https://www.kathykuhlexpertmessaging.net/blog daily 0.75 2023-03-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/d6c74ff4-7955-440a-a0bc-7e85ef11291e/Kathy%27s+edited+profile+photo.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/624b503d454ebf5dd68421e1/1649102922468-9NTPMK441ZGJD163LNIB/stanton-book.jpg https://www.kathykuhlexpertmessaging.net/blog/backyard-cookout-h89x6 monthly 0.5 2023-03-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/1679166099088-CKVWX2V727L1FPFNO0WN/unsplash-image-Wh9ZC4727e4.jpg Blog - Articles https://www.kathykuhlexpertmessaging.net/blog/roasted-beet-wedges-with-tzatziki-f8byz monthly 0.5 2023-03-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/1679166267562-X021AOYAYMSIAG8ZJUE6/unsplash-image-hvQFJhJvfR8.jpg Blog - Social Media https://www.kathykuhlexpertmessaging.net/blog/cucumber-tomato-salad-r4xks monthly 0.5 2023-03-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/1679167393707-6C3NISZY6X0OZ1CEV1IJ/unsplash-image-QL0FAxaq2z0.jpg Blog - On Air/Websites https://www.kathykuhlexpertmessaging.net/blog/blueberry-sour-cream-swirl-nryxl monthly 0.5 2023-03-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/1679166642788-AA5G3SZMLVYIXO6AG72G/unsplash-image-39oM9gUMuqA.jpg Blog - Magazines https://www.kathykuhlexpertmessaging.net/blog/bloody-maria-cocktails-ht2m4 monthly 0.5 2023-03-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/1679166721988-PJGYIPF6Z44239CL2K5U/unsplash-image-smgTvepind4.jpg Blog - Master’s Class Work https://www.kathykuhlexpertmessaging.net/blog/apple-waffles-hxhhl monthly 0.5 2023-03-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/1679166812256-HL3RG2SE58TGU0ZCEWUZ/unsplash-image-JIhzkKpZ0XE.jpg Blog - Newsletters https://www.kathykuhlexpertmessaging.net/blog/asian-pear-apple-pie-y2zdz monthly 0.5 2022-06-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/624b503d454ebf5dd68421e1/1649102921798-VK9SU2QSWSQSCZH63XV6/download+%282%29.jpeg Blog - Asian Pear & Apple Pie https://www.kathykuhlexpertmessaging.net/blog-1-1 daily 0.75 2023-08-15 https://www.kathykuhlexpertmessaging.net/about daily 1.0 2026-03-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/c73cb7fa-29ab-46ec-af71-e755975e8363/IMG_9485.jpg https://www.kathykuhlexpertmessaging.net/contact daily 0.75 2024-01-19 https://www.kathykuhlexpertmessaging.net/about-1 daily 0.75 2026-03-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/46357c48-4a07-4aea-91f5-ffc9ef98c66a/kathy-5.jpg https://www.kathykuhlexpertmessaging.net/583544494043 daily 0.75 2026-03-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/8b1f9d08-9489-43a8-bb54-ff42ae75b01f/UI+logo+w+Old+Capitol+steeple.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/60e04db3-d900-4a08-bae1-7764ec7bb83b/MU+logo+w+Marq+Hall.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/66ce9a0b-3cff-4a2e-88b8-57df006a8a39/MPL+logo+%281%29%5B330%5D.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/7667f41b-7635-43bb-b563-65fea2340907/GMCCI+logo.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/1680051521577-ND5J94TFNO4FC53FT8PY/John%2BDeere%2BLogo.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/9e1f983f-70ec-4094-bb3f-bc0bce10e302/Friends+of+MPL+logo.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/b4d53c1c-ed82-4340-ac35-ec8254e22ef2/MSO+logo.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/dd1fd876-c852-4b1d-bec6-2698c7032b4d/Muscatine+Habitat+logo.jfif https://www.kathykuhlexpertmessaging.net/shop daily 0.75 2023-03-18 https://www.kathykuhlexpertmessaging.net/shop/p/stanton-recipes-ed-1-z4yr4 monthly 0.5 2022-06-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/624b503d454ebf5dd68421e1/1649102914196-89QBL9NUR8EZZMULLP08/stanton-book.jpg Shop - Stanton Recipes Ed. 1 https://www.kathykuhlexpertmessaging.net/portfolio daily 0.75 2024-07-20 https://www.kathykuhlexpertmessaging.net/portfolio/socialmedia monthly 0.5 2023-03-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/1721492755259-7VIK2FLUKAHGEI91N2E5/IMG_8068%252B%2525281%252529.jpg Portfolio - Social Media There are so many fun and wonderful opportunities to share photos and stories during Musser Library's summer reading program. This post from a recent "Learn to Play the Ukulele" class (one of two) for all ages illustrates how magical it is to bring people a variety of people together to learn - and the post sure got a lot of response! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/addee3c5-8ca6-40c3-9e80-b27b2e8e660a/question+thought.png Portfolio - Social Media Our staff saw patrons looking at our new privacy booth and encountered some people asking what it was. In addition to placing a flyer right on the front of it, I decided it would be a good idea to get on social media to show patrons who had not recently been to our second floor the new technology we had acquired. I also had a bit of fun with some creative "guesses" as to what it was. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/dee088ee-319f-4c50-ac8a-3244d438bfbf/eagel+photo.jpg Portfolio - Social Media The beauty of having a sky cam and an independent TV station at the library is that we can provide programming - or just a view - for anyone in the community who wants to watch either. We get some great footage of bald eagles, and people wanting to see them can use our resources to enjoy a closeup view of these majestic birds without getting really cold! This post was a reminder of something we provide for people to do in the coldest part of winter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/62f5f7af-32c6-442f-949c-3438d3a6a514/IMG_5889.jpg Portfolio - Social Media Musser Public Library's children's department employees work very hard to create an amazingly engaging experience to keep children reading over the summer. The abundance of cucumbers in my home garden inspired this "spa day" photo post-SRP, and the public loved it! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/c2f75147-5924-4b3d-9772-d5bc012edfe1/Children%27s+staff+in+foam.jpg Portfolio - Social Media Here is an example of a social post pointing to our newsletter. This one is for August, one of the two busiest months of the year. We like to share with the public how much fun we have had with them during the big (and small) events of the summer reading program. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/99d0c1ae-6ab6-4d10-9ac9-2d7ce56ae8c2/logo+%281%29.png Portfolio - Social Media Dan Chapman's introductions to and analysis of movies in the public domain have established him as a trusted "Movie Shark" and gathered him a following. It's pure fun to promote "Musser Public Movies." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/9ea01700-b307-40f7-b3f7-04b5a1a71686/334338271_187183470609082_3165626035007385440_n.jpg Portfolio - Social Media I had wanted to use more video in our social media channels at Musser Public Library, and Kimi's sketch timelapse for "how-to-draw books," which accompanied her blog, gave me the perfect opportunity. It turns out that Clipchamp is fun to use! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/1721492811539-J70OEDRWYWZYMS4QTFTU/Maythe4thdogs.jpg Portfolio - Social Media May the Fourth Dogs of costumed dogs be with you. I found these dog photos in Star Wars costumes to accompany the post about how "May the Force" morphed into "May the Fourth." My job can be downright fun! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/c3aa06da-e672-42cd-a3c2-30a08b020e53/Stanley+Ctr+Nov22+newsletter+Insta.jpg Portfolio - Social Media Drone video still of former Musser Public Library's conversion into Living Building for Stanley Center for Peace and Security. This was from a program aired on our TV station in which I did a walk-through and Stanley employees explained the process. I was so curious what a 'Living Building' is! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/268bfabf-892c-407b-98bc-98da704ac729/FriendsofLibeery.jpg Portfolio - Social Media The Friends of MPL committee wanted to have a fun awareness-raiser and fundraiser for the organization. The library director spoke to the owner of our local microbrewery, and he agreed to create a beer which we got the privilege of naming and $1 per pour. It was a cold but fun night, and enjoyable to promote. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/f2f55a5d-580d-44fe-94fb-0de365e4d51a/MuskieOrchBoosterSale.jpg Portfolio - Social Media This is not for the library but for our local school's orchestra boosters. I have coordinated and publicized these sales to raise funds for new instruments. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/1680377074036-VZYL0TBL92D9PJBLU0HF/unsplash-image-C8wlYF8ubBo.jpg Portfolio - Social Media When I heard that Library Tech Rod Peck had taken a video of his granddaughter acing a magic trick at our Skeleton Key program, I had to see it. Our community responds well to what kids do at the library, so when I get permission to use a child's likeness, it's a feel -good coup. It makes people smile. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/1680377149908-XSLPPYSDIAS7M5YL4EKN/unsplash-image-TV2gg2kZD1o.jpg Portfolio - Social Media This post got a great response after using a bit of imagination to create the message. It was the first time I had ever used slow motion video. The straw rocket launch was too difficult to see in real time. https://www.kathykuhlexpertmessaging.net/portfolio/mastersclasswork monthly 0.5 2023-03-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/9e1f983f-70ec-4094-bb3f-bc0bce10e302/Friends+of+MPL+logo.png Portfolio - Master's Class Work The Friends of Musser Public Library was almost defunct when I joined its committee. I created a survey to determine the public's awareness and perceptions of the organization. We needed more information to determine the organization's direction and how to attract more members and interest. In retrospect, I would have followed up with the second survey much later. People didn't seem to understand the point of the second survey less than four months later. I got zero response to it after having such a strong response to the first one. We're going to hold off on focus groups until after we sponsor more events. Now we're focusing on getting new members more involved. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/e4694448-5c02-4c6b-8db6-478ab8b8f670/Screenshot+2023-04-03+134218.png Portfolio - Master's Class Work Contrary Brewing was the mighty little nanobrewery that could ... expand to a microbrewery and satisfy its local and area patronage. But owner Mark Mitchell wants to dream bigger. Here are suggestions about how to go bigger on social media in hopes of matching the sales and reach of regional competitor Toppling Goliath. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/7f040a9e-81bf-4f18-baf2-bf51b2ad48f1/Classwork+-+Rebuilding+Together+campaign+plan.jpg Portfolio - Master's Class Work Rebuilding Together Muscatine helps some of the poorest home owners repair hazards in their homes or yards, or help make the property wheelchair accessible. I followed this organization throughout my Foundations of Strategic Communication class, creating a campaign, a blog, press releases, speeches, and a crisis communication plan. Here, I find ways to improve on the organization's social media, mostly by using these channels with more regularity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/e3ddf243-09a6-4a21-b1fc-d34d9bf4c8a5/Yes_to_Census_2020_Wordmark_YellowBG-1-400x327.png Portfolio - Master's Class Work Everyone in my Campaigns class did a presentation about campaigns which won Silver Anvil Awards from the Public Relations Society of America. My project was on a U.S. Census Bureau campaign to persuade underrepresented populations in Houston to participate in the Census, using head and heart appeals. This was a very in-person campaign in order to overcome the barriers: languages, levels of physical and mental abilities, and fear. During the height of COVID-19 restrictions, protocols were another hurdle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/89865706-2384-4a45-b2b5-3482e25c01f3/Classwork+-+writing%2C+China+%26+Muscatine.jpg Portfolio - Master's Class Work Muscatine, Iowa holds a special place in the heart and memory of Chinese President Xi Jinping. It was the first place he visited in America back in 1985, and he was warmly welcomed. For several Lunar New Years in a row, before relations between our countries soured, world-class musicians, actors and acrobats from China performed for free and stayed with Muscatine families. Mine was one of them. https://www.kathykuhlexpertmessaging.net/portfolio/articles monthly 0.5 2023-03-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/bc9ccb9a-5ba0-48f4-8961-ff63e14a83d1/Libraries+Alive+screenshot+story+in+News+Advocate.jpg Portfolio - Articles Advocate News, Wilton-Durant, Iowa - Here is an instance when I wrote a public relations piece for my current employer as an article for a newspaper. Then-editor of the Advocate News Kimberly Sloan was a guest on our "Libraries Alive!" talk show, which is still serving the interests of both Muscatine and Wilton. Her column about the experience ran along with my article. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/6787f50d-7b27-4d2f-af93-09e2f8b851b3/Moon+sculpture+at+truck+stop.jpg Portfolio - Articles Corridor Business Journal, Coralville, Iowa -Chuck Slack heightened his skills as a welder and fabricator to create "The Perfect Moon," a 14-foot-high mixed-metal sculpture that honors his workplace - the Iowa 80 Truck Stop and Museum in Walcott, Iowa - and the Moon family, who founded the facilities. Now in its second generation of management, what is also known as the World's Largest Truck Stop hosts an average of 5,000 visitors per day. The gleam of the sculpture's moon, which is made to stay shiny, will sparkle in many, many eyes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/9be20031-6030-4532-b99a-89837df9b469/Jeff+Lorenger+accepts+TIppie+award.jpg Portfolio - Articles Quad Cities Regional Business Journal, Bettendorf, Iowa - I enjoy digging into a good business story. An award story may seem like a time for softball questions, but I opted to thoroughly read the international business furniture company HNI's annual report to know what questions to ask of CEO Jeff Lorenger upon his winning the Oscar C. Schmidt Business Award from the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business. The report went into great detail about how HNI leadership had created inter-connected teams to modernize the brand, closely monitoring and improving upon employee satisfaction, earth-friendly practices and financial success. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/200d8f1c-6271-48a0-b759-20389b6dcc95/Mayor+Brad+Bark.jpg Portfolio - Articles QC/Corridor Business Journals - Brad Bark became mayor of Muscatine after a lot of contention in the office. With a conciliatory nature, he arrived in office with the desire to smooth over relations between the mayor and city council, and also to develop the town, especially its housing stock. He wasn't happy that I included the history that was not part of the interview, but, he rolled with it, realizing later that it was part of the story. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/7a6ead6e-90c0-408d-ae1e-ca371b0ad4b5/QCRBJ+UnityPoint+clinic+Feb22.jpg Portfolio - Articles QC/Corridor Business Journals - I reported the expected summer 2022 groundbreaking for a $14 million clinic to replace the existing one at UnityPoint Hospital in Muscatine. The plans were not only for a larger, state-of-the-art facility. More importantly, the clinic was to be occupied by medical professionals in practices sorely needed in Muscatine - which is what really made it exciting news. Its planned completion was ... spring 2023. I may follow up on what happened. There is no sign of progress and there has not been any recent news. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/70c2e8d8-dd7f-4491-a7f2-b6c26b68852a/Stead+logo.png Portfolio - Articles Advocate News, Wilton-Durant, Iowa - I'm a sucker for a feel-good story, so I had to tell this one. A group of fifth-graders raised $1,900 through a school-wide penny drive to help children undergoing cancer treatments at the University of Iowa Stead Children's Hospital. They decided on their charity, how to raise the awareness, how to raise funds, and how to motivate their entire school to bring in their copper. The money was donated to Stead's Child Life Services Department, which provides books, games and toys for kids undergoing chemotherapy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/4db03674-3ef2-40f4-b774-33a729ba6d9a/Screenshot+2023-04-01+123141.jpg Portfolio - Articles The Quad-City Times, Davenport, Iowa - Here is a very old story, just for fun! First, I was getting calls from the QC Times asking if I wanted to write stories for the "On The River" page. After taking on several of these outdoor-oriented stories, my list of contacts and my enthusiasm snowballed, and I found my own stories for the page. This was one of them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/f57e68d1-b2f3-42d6-a5df-2231910a651d/MM+spring+15+River%27s+Edge+concerts.jpg Portfolio - Articles Muscatine Magazine, Muscatine, Iowa - I enjoy informing people about ventures like this one. Joel and Linda Smyers, owners of River's Edge Gallery, started opeing the building to host musicians on tour so they could perform between major tour stops, so their gallery could make money - especially during times when people weren't buying art, and to share an intimate and acoustically friendly setting. Many factors aligned to make this a smart and enjoyable series of events. https://www.kathykuhlexpertmessaging.net/portfolio/newsletters monthly 0.5 2023-03-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/1721608605672-S7I3YQQGAYX21BXWMYQF/IMG_7766%252B%2525281%252529.jpg Portfolio - Newsletters June and July were always exciting with the summer reading program. In the summer of 2024, I followed with a camera to capture what I could of it, and balanced the monthly missive with some adult programs as well. We provided good times with history, nature, culture ... you name it and we delivered! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/b69ee082-3263-4e9d-98b0-2fab99dd2ff4/Sensory+Story+Time.png Portfolio - Newsletters In March this year (2024), we added an exciting offering that extended a service to the underserved -- a story time designed for children with special sensory needs and their caregivers. I let Emerson Taylor run with the description since this former special education teacher has the appropriate expertise. It was otherwise a slow month (besides upcoming programming), so it was a good time to remind patrons of ways to pick up materials without ever having to leave home. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/37d076f2-3f98-4e27-8fab-c3f9e3573af1/final5yr+4color.png Portfolio - Newsletters June of 2023 marked MPL's fifth anniversary in its current location, I pointed out to our director in February. We started with a simple plan to plant a burr oak in the yard for the paper/wood anniversary, but it turned into a big community celebration. So the June 2023 newsletter invited people to the celebration and also invited kids, teens and adults to sign up for "Find Your Voice," the summer reading program, which is always a big deal at MPL. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/e38fa866-6762-469f-85e3-29359fdda3c1/DINOS+top+image+triceratops.jpg Portfolio - Newsletters The July (2023) newsletter catches the library at the height of its programming season. It’s a time when a look back combined with a look forward is craved by the public but hard to keep succinct! So I talked to the children’s programming coordinators to look back at June’s programming and to give readers a preview of what was coming up in July. It was important to acknowledge our 5-year anniversary in our current building - a gift from HNI Corporation - so that was our lead. In addition to the anniversary event and kids’ programming, we had teen/adult programming to announce and a new app for our onsite TV station! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/8262c547-c4cb-48f3-b1d9-910c74170ac8/April+23+Queen+Dormouse+%26+Mayor.jpg Portfolio - Newsletters May 2023 had us reflecting upon National Libraries Week, during which we had "Wonderful Week," based on "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll. It was visually spectacular with events for all ages, and I made arrangements for Library Assistant Katie Roquet to go on a regional TV show to promote her creation. At the same time we were also looking forward to the first Local Authors Celebration in many years, and June will bring our much-beloved summer reading program and a big party to celebrate five years in our current location. That anniversary may have gone unnoticed, but I suggested we commemorate it! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/f2156786-3bba-4efc-89ad-117d984a0a5c/December+MPL+newsletter.jpg Portfolio - Newsletters December is a slow month for the library, but the children's librarians still do story times at the schools. I used a video I had taken of Mr. Taylor singing an original song on social media, and for the newsletter, was handed this eye-catching photo of Mr. and Mrs. Taylor acting out "The Gruffalo" - she signs in ASL and he provides music at the Muscatine Early Learning Center. Other fun stories for this issue alerted people to the library's participation in the Jingle and Mingle and the Friends of MPL awareness raiser - where we signed up 37 new members - way up from seven! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/807829e4-8afc-41c4-8498-cc3b17f8a594/Sept+22+genealogy+.jpg Portfolio - Newsletters September 2022 MPL newsletter: During Genealogy Month, our Library Assistant Carrie Olson blogged about her journey learning her family history, and we promoted a genealogy class taught for six Saturdays. My friend Mike Wedell and his cohort, Ann Simpson, were a great interview. When they told me their research had revealed that they are third cousins, I couldn't resist creating the above art. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/1680634249028-D3383A8Y58AM9FTFYX5M/April%2B22%2Bnewsletter%2BEsperance.jpg Portfolio - Newsletters April 2022 MPL newsletter contained the best of our user-generated content. Responding to my callout, "Tell us your library story," Esperance Ciss shared the world that Musser Public Library opened up for her and for her two children, Pearly and Kevin. I liked that another respondent shared some Greek writing with us, too. I was also relieved that Library Assistant Chris Cook did not disappoint on the blog. I had introduced this feature the month before. He took it to the next level. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/1680634311364-KKOJQ18EH3T32GVBJ3N5/Mar23%2BMPL%2Bnewsletter.jpg Portfolio - Newsletters March 2023 MPL newsletter - I had the lower half of this newsletter done first, then thought: What are the library's bigger stories right now? There were two. A simple look at our online calendar revealed new adult classes that we needed to promote, and after I did social media posts on the Mother-Daughter Book Club reading about homelessness and creating tie blankets to donate to the local homeless shelter, I thought that story needed to be reimagined for the newsletter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/30b03148-4bda-4a33-890f-9a41733c4248/Screenshot+2023-03-29+190629.png Portfolio - Newsletters January 2023 MPL newsletter: I worked with our director to explain why there will be no more library fines. To show the fun of the upcoming "Sparkplugs" program, we used photos from a prior program like it - with a board member scolding a doll in imitation of an antique photo. Our blogger did not want her photo to accompany the blog (about libraries as havens of comfort), but a patron allowed us to share the library-at-the-end-of-the-rainbow photo she had taken. It was perfect. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/d1748d07-7527-46d5-afe8-3ffd175d8a10/July+22+newsletter+photo+for+POP.png Portfolio - Newsletters July 2022 MPL newsletter was almost exclusively about the Children's Summer Reading Program: numbers up to that point, a photo gallery, a blog by our historian/librarian Jenny Howell on her childhood memories of the program. Here, a child tentatively pets an opossum held by a volunteer with Incredible Bats during a Summer Reading Program event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/1680051521577-ND5J94TFNO4FC53FT8PY/John%2BDeere%2BLogo.jpg Portfolio - Newsletters John Deere Parts Distribution "Particles" newsletter Oct. 22, 2001. This is a publication I edited for five years. This issue covered a reorganization that concerned employees, and we had to get in front of the rumor mill, alerting them it would not mean job losses. I introduced the new director of Parts Services including his ideas for the future and his past with the company. The XATA story informed employees about the workings of then-new technology that OTR drivers were using - an interest because these drivers delivered the parts our employees coded, picked or packed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/27407e56-6c7b-4194-8e2d-2b7df6e126e1/Your+paragraph+text.png Portfolio - Newsletters EXTRA John Deere Parts Distribution Particles, 10 June 1998 - In my five years creating the Parts Distribution newsletter, this was the only EXTRA I ever created, at our director's request. As you can see, the bar charts were not beautiful at the time and with the tools I had (Pagemaker, anyone?), but they at least gave employees a visual representation of favorable, neutral and unfavorable responses to the questions. https://www.kathykuhlexpertmessaging.net/portfolio/project-two-ky966-jjtxy monthly 0.5 2023-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/ae4458a8-5f57-4ced-a8d1-efa457360873/MM+summer+17+square+cover.jpg Portfolio - Magazines Summer 2017 Muscatine Magazine - With a quick departure of the prior editor and only advertisements lined up, I had to scramble to put together this issue. I did it in five weeks instead of the normal 12, writing nearly everything myself. (I learned to hand off better for future issues.) With more time to work on them, future issues were better. In this issue, I felt it was a coup to talk to Helen Howe shortly after her husband Stanley, one of the founders of HNI Corp., had died. They had quite a story, and their son made sure I had photos to accompany it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/1681416537985-PTG0MW4OHOOJFWXQ43CH/MM%2Bfall17%2Bsquare%2Bcover%2Bfor%2Bclippings.me.jpg Portfolio - Magazines Fall 2017 Muscatine Magazine - After the rush of the first issue, this one seemed like a breeze! We put a great collection of articles and photo galleries in here. In each issue I tried to touch on human interest (Col. Frost), the arts (MSO), education (career academies) and business (HNI). To have the gallery section (local Holiday offerings) allowed the reader's eyes to rest! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/17dcb5b3-15a3-4a9b-945b-38dd6338a992/MM+cover+winter+18.jpg Portfolio - Magazines Winter 2018 Muscatine Magazine - Again, I had the ideas and the writers to put together a publication with many elements of the community, this time including an incredible history story from Anne Collier. Did I mention the writing talent locally? I felt lucky for that - and even luckier for the photography talent. Look at Jim Van Winkle's back cover photo. Slow-shutter snow is gorgeous! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/34f9973e-d132-4699-8f0e-daf2926ae64a/MM+spring18+square+cover.jpg Portfolio - Magazines Spring 2018 Muscatine Magazine - We were heavy on schools and business in this issue, but the Hyvee story is really more about giving back to the community. The expansion of our Catholic school needed attention, I felt, and the resource navigators had been too well-kept a secret. I regretted not giving more room to the Pollinators, but I figured out a way to at least squeeze in some informaiton about this group that is still creating new public habitats for hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/a0328ca4-3d0d-4ff9-b12a-c6fc65b01e55/MM+summer18+square+cover+for+clippings.me.jpg Portfolio - Magazines Summer 2018 Muscatine Magazine - In this issue, I had the worst and best writers ever to turn in work for us. One story was so beautifully written, I hardly had to touch it. Another had factual errors that I was glad I learned of so I could correct them before press time. A third had correct information but some really contorted sentences. These issues should have made me glad it was an ad-heavy magazine, but then I had the challenge of distilling two stories about the Muscatine-China connection (and eliminating a third). The best part was writing about Contrary Brewing expanding its business. The Mitchells still have that article framed and on display at the brewery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6415e5eae660917db51ba4d0/ab1c6600-33d6-4d2c-b82e-7e3ddac92e00/MM-Fall-2018-TN.jpg Portfolio - Magazines Fall 2018 Muscatine Magazine - As much as it felt like opening gifts when I first opened other writers' stories, the 6-on-6 girls' basketball book, Maynard 8 Miles, was a story I wanted to write myself. It was my favorite I had the opportunity to tell while serving as editor. Glenda Thielbert and her author nephew were gracious in the telling. Unfortunately, the last time I checked back, the movie had not gotten past the script phase. This issue of the magazine also featured some fun community events including the introduction of the "Over the Edge" fundraiser.