Every community needs a newspaper.

Every newspaper needs a community.

I have used those words in many of the talks I have given to Brookhaven civic clubs since becoming publisher of The Daily Leader almost six months ago. WOW! Time sure flies by quickly. I learned the value of community and the value of community newspapers while I was a newspaper delivery boy for my hometown newspaper.

While I don’t deny the impact of technology (that’s the Internet, Twitter, Facebook, smart phones, tablets, etc.) on today’s news gathering organizations, I have learned that many of you depend on The Daily Leader to bring you news and information about your community, your family, your neighbors and friends.

You also want us to keep you informed about your government, schools and churches. Many of you use the technology I mentioned above to access information, but in my many conversations with you I understand you want us to give you the local scoop Tuesday through Friday and Sunday and also daily on our website.

I have always considered it a privilege for a newspaper to serve its community. Along with privilege comes responsibility and the entire Daily Leader staff takes that seriously. We strive to be accurate, informative and timely with our reporting and our home delivery.

I have also learned that our readers will tell us when we don’t meet expectations. That I really appreciate. Keep it up. Also please call us when you have something you would like us to report and we will get right on it. That’s what community means to me; the give and take of sharing information that helps us all live our lives a little better.

Here’s a special request I will make of you for our Easter Sunday edition. Brookhaven is blessed with many families that attend church together. In a meeting this week with our newsroom staff we discussed what our Easter front page should include. We all know the true meaning of Easter is that Christ is Risen! (I know you say out loud, HE IS RISEN INDEED!)

But we all celebrate this important day in different ways. If you and your family have a tradition that you would like to share with our readers, please email them to us at news@dailyleader.com. If you have photos you would like to send us please include names. If you just have lunch or dinner together and would like to share that, please do so. Please email that to us by Wednesday and we will include them in our Easter edition.

If you have an idea that you think we should include on our front page, please email me directly at otis.raybon@dailyleader.com

Many churches have a “Flowering of the Cross” following an early morning service and breakfast. I have seen many beautiful crosses that our readers would love to see but can’t because they are attending their own church. You can help us allow our readers to witness the beauty of the day by sending a snapshot of your church cross to the same email address above. We will include all we get in Tuesday’s Daily Leader and also put them online. Again, please include names.

If a newspaper needs the community then the newspaper must serve the community. That’s where you can help! We want your ideas and solicit your readership each and everyday.

If you have other story ideas, please tell us. We might have a small staff but we have big ears. Let us know if your church or civic club is having a special event. If your child is getting engaged, married or makes the honor roll let us know that too. Tell us if you are having a neighborhood event. If we can’t attend we may ask you to email us photos, including names and a brief narrative. We will include that in the paper and if you want, we will include your name as the contributor.

The staff of the Daily Leader and I are serious about serving the community. You are invited to help us.

Every community needs its newspaper. … Every newspaper needs its community.

Otis Raybon is the publisher of The Daily Leader. Contact him at otis.raybon@dailyleader.com or (601) 833-6961.