“They’re great.They’re helping Mr.Jessop in the garden.”The telephone on her desk started ringing.“Go on through.John won’t be too much longer.”
On his way to the commercial kitchen, Theo passed the dining room and the center’s large living room.He couldn’t imagine Sapphire Bay without this amazing facility.It provided emergency accommodation, a place where the community could enjoy a free meal, and more programs than anyone would expect in a town of this size.
He peered through the glass top of the kitchen door.John was sitting behind a table, holding up a slice of pizza.From all the smiles and cheering, Theo guessed the winning pizza team had just been announced.
“You can go inside, if you like,” Shelley said from behind him.
Shelley was Pastor John’s wife and the person responsible for keeping the church’s accounts up to date.“It’s okay.I can wait a few minutes.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
Theo didn’t want to be a nuisance, but she must have seen the desperation in his face.“I was hoping John could give me some advice about my funding applications.”
Shelley’s eyes sparkled with laughter.“He would if he filled out the forms.Luckily, he has a super-efficient chief financial officer who does that for him.”
“You completed the funding applications?”
“I did.Do you want money for the radio station?”
Theo nodded.“I’ve been turned down for three grants.If there’s something wrong with my applications, I need to fix them.Otherwise.I’m wasting everyone’s time.”
“I know what you mean.It takes a lot of time to gather all the information you need for a grant.Did you keep a copy of your forms?”
He handed her the folder he’d brought with him.“I spoke to the county and they suggested some changes.I made those, but it didn’t make any difference.”
“Sometimes it depends on who’s reading the application.I have a few minutes to look at them now, if that helps?”
He sent her a grateful smile.“Thank you.”
Half an hour later, Theo sat back in his chair.“I appreciate what you’ve told me.”
“Hopefully, it helps.”Shelley looked thoughtfully at the application forms.“Funding providers like giving money to organizations that have a profile in their community.Have you thought of starting a Facebook page or using Twitter or Instagram to let everyone know about the radio station?”
“I don’t use social media.”He had too much first-hand experience of how quickly the Internet could turn your life upside down.
“Even if it’s not something you’ve used before, it’s worth investigating.As well as helping your applications, it could be the cheapest form of targeted advertising you’ll find.If you need any advice, talk to Barbara Terry at The Lakeside Inn.She’s using social media to advertise her business and it’s working really well.”
“Ethan said the same thing.”
Shelley slid the forms into the folder and handed them to him.“Maybe you should listen.It could mean the difference between keeping the radio station open or having to close it.”
He hated the thought of walking away from the radio station.It had given him something to focus on when his family and friends turned against him.And something that made him feel proud of what he was doing.As much as he didn’t want to admit it, Ethan and Shelley could be right.
He stood and held out his hand.“Thanks again for all your help.”
“That’s okay.Let me know what you decide to do.”
“I will.”With the application forms clutched in his hands, he left The Welcome Center.Next on his schedule was interviewing a man who’d found a World War II bomber buried in his backyard.
At least he couldn’t say his life was boring.
LATER THAT AFTERNOON,Barbara was in her office, creating another set of Facebook ads on her computer.The last set she’d run had the best click-through rate in a long time.All she had to do was tweak the text that would go under the photos her sisters liked and, hopefully, the new ads would have the same results.
Charlie, her sister’s beautiful Golden Labrador, sat at her feet, snoozing after a busy afternoon of chasing birds around the lake.
For someone who’d enjoyed an action-packed life in San Diego, she was becoming a little too comfortable with her laid-back life in Sapphire Bay.
Katie walked into the office.“Can I interrupt?”
