I received the following email from a reader of this blog regarding some of our efforts and the publicity surrounding those efforts. More viral marketing, like this, is needed to help us get closer to the tipping point where native sons and daughters can return home, young adults already in the region can stay, and college students will look at the region as a destination upon graduation. Thanks to this reader for spreading the word and doing his part.

"I have a story for you, I get together with all my friends from high school once a year for a golf outing – Pinehurst this year. There is a total of 12. I was under the impression through our correspondence they had submitted their resumes to the Roanoke Connect database. We have all commented that if Roanoke had the infrastructure to support us we would return. Many of their spouses are from this area or like the RV too. As I stated their biggest concern was lack of well paying jobs, most of them earn 6 figures + bonus in cities like NOVA, Stamford, CT, Atlanta, Charleston, SC, and Hampton Roads.

Since finding out this past month no one had signed up I have been forwarding them your blog and referring them to the newsletter. I believe the increased media attention,like the Roanoker, WDBJ7, RT, and other blogs that have picked up on your efforts, gives the database legitimacy and credit among those out of the RV. I am forwarding all of them the WDBJ7 news story and have also sent them a copy of the Roanoker articles from last month."