It is hard to believe that our first issue of the Enterprise was published in November/December of 1981. This coming April will mark the 30th anniversary of Industrial Reporting, when we will commemorate the 30th year of the Pallet Profile Weekly. My staff and I have worked to develop a large following within the industry by providing reliable information that has value to our readers.
Making hundreds and even thousands of friendships and getting to understand the industry have been both a challenge and an opportunity. Developing meaningful relationships with our industry friends has been one of the most satisfying things in my life.
Looking back over our first 25 years, many things come to mind. Certainly one of the most significant events that continues to exert its influence today would have to be 9-11. The terrorist attacks impacted the economy, the military, and even the values of the nation. I am reminded of the editorial that I wrote in October 2001 entitled “Let Us Pray.”
After 9-11 I noticed a short lived change in people. Suddenly praying became more politically acceptable, people drove with more courtesy on the highways, and generally people were more patriotic and seemed to be working off the same script. That was then, today is now. My, how things have changed!
Many readers may recall that in that October editorial I stepped out and challenged you to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life if you hadn’t already done so. My challenge included a statement to those of us who have been comfortable on the sidelines, believing in Jesus but too busy leading our own lives to become a very active witness to others. I repeat here one thing that I said. “Now is the time to make the decision to accept Christ as your Savior if you have not already done so. Your life literally depends upon it – your eternal life.”
Why is this so important? Well, we all should come to a point where we live for something greater than ourselves and lean on a power stronger than our efforts. No matter how hard we try to be good, our efforts are never enough to make us 100% pure to stand before a holy God. It is through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross that the debt for our sins is covered. Through God’s power we can find the pathway to the best life possible.
Accepting Jesus is more than just saying a prayer; it is faith demonstrated by a lifestyle of transformation and new life. Becoming a Christian is more than just getting a ticket to heaven. It is the power to live a life on this earth beyond what we could ever do on our own. I know of no greater force for good than the life that can be found in Jesus. Sure, some people have misused and misrepresented Jesus to the world. But the example we find in Jesus is one of faith, hope and love. He paid a great price so that you can be free.
If you were to ask me what is the single most significant event in the 25 year history of the Pallet Enterprise, this same October column would unquestionably be my answer. Why? Because nothing we have ever put in print solicited any way near the volume and intensity of reader comments that this letter did.
Why did this one 700 word, single page column out pull 30,000 pages from the perspective of editorial comments? I believe it reflects our readers’ reactions to the spiritual truth that so many of us understand in our lives. We know how important this is to us and how important it should be to others. I am sharing this with our readers again because it stands out so clearly to me.
Now, let’s look ahead for a minute. None of us knows for sure what tomorrow will bring, but our 25th anniversary is a great time to thank you for your past support and encourage you to let us know what you would like for us to do differently. You can count on Industrial Reporting to offer expanded services, particularly those involving the electronic media.
Before signing off for our first 25 years, I want to reiterate my own personal thanks to our readers and advertisers. I truly appreciate each reader and hope you find our products to be valuable to you. There is one thing I would like to request that you do for us. Please let our advertisers know how much the Enterprise means to you.
When you call them about products and services, remember to tell them that you saw it in the Enterprise. No other publication to the pallet and low-grade lumber industry carries anywhere near as much variety of information about products to the industry. Let them know how valuable this information is to you. The Enterprise staff looks forward to the challenges and opportunities of the future. The next 25 years appear to have a lot of new challenges and changes ahead. Together we will face our future challenges and opportunities.
The staff of the Pallet Enterprise has been compiling the best moments, personalities and stories of the last 25 years in the pallet industry. These will forever be memorialized in a special 25th Anniversary Interactive Computer Presentation.
The first 25 years are full of memorable moments, unforgettable people and plenty of change. Here is your chance to own a piece of the industry’s history. Made available on a DVD, each disc includes pictures, written commentary from editors, articles, a slide show and a historical timeline. The DVD does not include audio or video presentations.
The 25th Anniversary disc makes a great educational piece for those in your company or even customers. You can order advance copies at a special discounted price.
If you want to understand where the industry is going, it is helpful to know its history. There is not a better resource available today to get a full understanding of the last 25 years.
For more information, see the story on page 22.
