If you were given the opportunity to write or shoot photographs for Leader Publications, what would your subject matter be this week? Next week? Next month? Three months from now?

Are great ideas for local stories and pictures swirling around in your head? Do you consider yourself a good writer or photographer? Or do you know someone who may be? Perhaps you know a talented local high school student. If you answered yes to any of the questions posed, then I want to hear from you.

Last week I mentioned my idea to create the “Leader Press Club.”

The idea continues to percolate although I need volunteers to apply to help our cause of adding even more great local content for your hometown newspaper.

While we cannot pay you in cash, you will gain even greater rewards. You will help bring to light stories about your friends, family and neighbors who help build better community and do not currently get the recognition they deserve.

Two good examples of the stories we’d like to publish ran this week.

John Eby wrote about an anonymous donor who paid off the debt of Cassopolis’ Word of Life Family Worship Center.

The other, written by Aly Gibson, was yet another anonymous donor who provided funds to Bakeman Barbers in Dowagiac to pay for haircuts for unemployed folks applying for jobs.

Both were really cool stories. It would have been nice to recognize both of these donors by name, although we understand there are good people out there who do good things out of the goodness of their hearts and not for the attention.

Neither John or Aly would have been able to write that story without getting the tip from a reader.

There are many pieces of the new “Leader Press Club” that need to come together before we begin, hopefully before the end of the year.

In the meantime call me with your story ideas using my direct line: (269) 687-7700. If you have samples of your writing or photography, please email them to me at michael.bennett@leaderpub.com. I apologize, but we cannot utilize handwritten or typed copy for our stories. It has to be done electronically for this to work.

I am anxious to hear your ideas on the topic. Our goal is to jam more interesting local content into the newspaper. With limited staff resources you can be part of the solution!