When I was in elementary school in the early 1970s in my hometown of Paducah, my teachers and principal would use a mass communication tool that we simply referred to as the “purple paper.” In the school office, a small machine with a handle used for turning would spin a drum soaked in solvents and create letters that we were to carry home to our parents. I remember volunteering to turn the handle and crank out the freshly minted documents.

A ditto machine similar to what I remember from my elementary school days!
In 2017, such tools as the ditto machine seem to be from a different planet. Websites, smart devices, and apps are now the name of the game when communicating with large or small groups. Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky, because of your help and support, has kept pace with state-of-the art communications. In fact, all of our three campuses are equipped with Electronic Health Records, telehealth capabilities, and various mobile devices for our 120 employees. Yes, these tools have made our work with our kids and their families more effective and efficient. But just as importantly, these tools help us to stay connected with you. Communicating with you on a regular basis keeps you connected to this mission that CHNK has been undertaking since 1882: providing opportunity and hope to children and families facing crises.
My colleagues and I – along with some special guest bloggers from the wider community – will take turns posting to the blog each week, sharing glimpses into life here at Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky. We’ll be chatting about everything from our various treatment lines to ways you can get involved at CHNK to bridge builders who have made a lasting impact on this organization and the youth in our care. I also encourage you to let me know if there’s a specific topic you’d like us to discuss in a future blog post.
I hope you enjoy this blog as it now becomes a new way for us to stay in touch … and one that doesn’t result in purple duplicator fluid on our hands!