I became involved in a small Florida town putting great photos online and promoting the area when it was lacking any web presence 20 years ago. Quickly I got to know most of the owners of the stores and restaurants and of course all of the Chamber board and various other business marketers. It was fun and I actually built relationships with some great clients who I still work with today.

One morning when I was downtown to do some photos of a small event a friend showed me the flyer that every business on the street had stuffed in their mailbox or in the door that morning. It was my SO flyer. Most people already knew, but a few were definitely shocked. Maybe because I was bringing business into town most of the businesses rallied behind me and the person who put them out took a lot of heat. The person was a sexually abused victim and was very vocal on how much they hated me, not even knowing me. I was not the abuser, but the label was enough to place me in that person’s scope of evilness. The person endured a nightmare for sure. But it was not me who did it. Over the next years we ended up working together a little bit, but I was never “OK” in that person’s eyes, even if we were professional in our meetings.

The President of the Chamber of Commerce invited me into the Board soon after the flyer episode and I accepted. Everybody knew, so the secret was out and they needed some fresh energy on the Board. Within a couple years I became the Treasurer of the Chamber on my way to being Vice President. With the community respect also came unwanted attention from outside the business community. Eventually enough haters put pressure on the Board and I was subdued, and even though not removed from the Chamber it became obvious I did not have a great name to be a public representative for this town. I got it, and in those few years had bought a house and got married, so the volunteer time was already a burden and I left the Chamber.

My point is that it is possible to earn respect and support in a community or small town, but that label is a handicap that one needs to understand and overcome. There were some who suggested I run for City Council before I tired of the drama. I respect anyone who would have the strength and endurance to run a campaign to be elected, especially a RSO.

If I didn’t get married I might still be spending my time trying to prove a person is not how they are labeled. But that was not my purpose ever, I was promoting my town and my friends. And still do from the sidelines. 😉