When I created Stroll Coldstream, my vision was simple: bring people together, tell the good stories happening in our community, support our local businesses and shine a light on organizations doing incredible things right here in Anderson.

In July, I had an opportunity to put that vision into action.

SEM Food Pantry needed our community's help. The organization that has spent decades helping local families was facing a major expense of its own: the roof over its building needed to be replaced.

When Abby reached out to me about SEM's Raise the Roof campaign, I had a platform and an opportunity to tell their story.

I hoped the article would bring awareness to what SEM needed.

A COMMUNITY STEPS UP

After the July issue reached Coldstream homes, I wanted Stroll to do more than simply share SEM's story.

I committed to donating a portion of proceeds from new Preferred Partnerships directly back to the roof campaign.

And our local businesses showed up.

Balance & Beyond – Jane Finn
Dun-Rite Auto Detailing
Adams Heating & Air
Bridgestone Masonry

Together, these new Preferred Partners helped Stroll Coldstream purchase nine bundles of shingles, contributing $210 toward SEM's new roof.

Seeing the names of these businesses alongside Stroll Coldstream on SEM's miniature roof was incredibly special.

These businesses didn't simply purchase advertising.

THEN CAME A SURPRISE I WILL NEVER FORGET

There was another part of this story I didn't fully understand until SEM's Raise the Roof event on August 30.

A Coldstream neighbor received the July issue.

They opened the magazine.

They read SEM's story.

That story inspired an extraordinarily generous contribution to SEM's campaign.

Standing at the event and learning the impact that one article had made was incredibly humbling.

Because this is exactly why I created the magazine.

I had hoped the article would bring awareness to what SEM needed. I never imagined that one of our neighbors would read it and be moved to make such a meaningful difference.

One story reached the right person.

MORE THAN A MAGAZINE

On August 30, I had the privilege of attending SEM's Raise the Roof celebration and speaking about Stroll Coldstream, our Preferred Partners and the incredible response that followed the July article.

And there was certainly something worth celebrating.

Looking at the miniature SEM building covered in shingles bearing the names of neighbors, families and businesses was a visual reminder of what can happen when a community comes together.

Every shingle told a story.

Someone cared.
Someone gave.
Someone decided to help.

And together, all of those individual acts became something much bigger.

For me, having my children there to experience it made the evening even more meaningful.

They've watched the hard work that goes into creating this magazine every month. But that night, they got to see something different.

They saw firsthand that telling someone's story can lead someone else to act—and that using what you have to help others can create a ripple far beyond what you ever expected.

COMMUNITY SUPPORTING COMMUNITY

Stroll Coldstream is delivered to our residents each month because of the businesses that choose to become Preferred Partners.

And without these pages, perhaps a Coldstream neighbor never learns that SEM needs a roof.

That's why I will continue asking our residents to support the businesses you see throughout this magazine. Their investment goes far beyond an advertisement. Their support gives us the opportunity to tell stories like this one.

This time, we got to see exactly what can happen when the right story reaches the right person.

To the Preferred Partners who joined this campaign, every neighbor who purchased shingles or made a donation, the volunteers who give their time to SEM and everyone who helped share their story:

And to SEM Food Pantry, thank you for trusting me to tell your story—and for everything you continue to do for families throughout our community.

When I started Stroll Coldstream, I believed stories could connect people.

And that is exactly why Stroll Coldstream exists.

Community supporting community. ❤️