Resident challenges paper's TGIF account

Staff

Published Thursday, June 30, 2005

Editor, the News-Herald:

After being approached several times on Sunday about our picture in the paper, and hearing comments and chuckles about being "a large percentage of the total turnout" at Friday night's TGIF at Suffolk's new Hilton, I decided I really needed to track down a copy of this article.

I do not subscribe to The Suffolk News-Herald, and after reading Mr. Prutsok's article, I remembered why.

Frankly, I was a little confused since there were approximately 150 to 200 people there when we left, and people were still coming.

I'm no math whiz, but 7 people are not a large percentage of 150 to 200.

The picture was taken soon after we arrived (approximately 5:30 or 6 p.m.) and the photographer commented he had to hurry back to get the picture in the paper on Saturday.

Maybe he should have stayed awhile to get the true picture and story, but he was obviously anxious to get back and get his story out, accurate or not.

Mr. Prutsok also stated maybe the event was such a failure because he never saw any advertising.

Maybe he should go beyond his own paper and read something newsworthy.

I saw it advertised many times in another newspaper, which is how I knew about it.

The City of Suffolk also publishes booklets to let citizens know what's going on here.

Whether you choose to read it or not is up to you.

My husband also heard it advertised on a radio station, so the marketing was there.

I have to admit that I have been one of those who laughed about Suffolk having that great big hotel without anything here to draw the people, but it is probably the most beautiful building in Suffolk and the waterfront there with the boat docks are already being used.

I came up in Suffolk at a time when there was nothing here, and I'm grateful for anything that gives my family something fun to do together close to home.

(It's also nice to have a beautiful entrance to our city rather than the big sewage tanks that were here when I was growing up).

Mr. Prutsok stated that Suffolk has a lot to be proud of.

Maybe if more citizens supported TGIF and other events the city tries to do for its citizens, rather than printing part of the story and making a joke out of it, it could go further.

I wonder if he thinks that an article about what a failure it was, and how few people were there is good marketing.

I think that poor marketing does more damage to our city than no marketing.

Is it possible that events are not advertised with his paper because of misinformation?

Hopefully, we'll see Mr. Prutsok at the next TGIF, taking pictures of the crowds throughout the night, with a positive article in Sunday's paper promoting the event.

We'll be back there having a good time seeing lots of old friends again.

Cheryl Griffin

Suffolk

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