La Jolla Village News, July 22nd, 2010

Page 1

VILLAGE NEWS

Scott Appleby

LA JOLLA

A Tradition of Success and Service

858-775-2014 tscottappleby@aol.com

LA JOLLA’S PREFERRED SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS

San Diego Community Newspaper Group

THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2010

DRE#01197544

www.SDNEWS.com Volume 15, Number 45

Mothers staying connected La Jolla’s savviest moms share how social media keeps them connected BY JENNA FRAZIER | VILLAGE NEWS On an uncharacteristically-gloomy July afternoon, four La Jolla moms huddle around a table at Pannikin Coffee & Tea on Girard Avenue, sipping from ceramic mugs and chatting like old friends. Though they could all be considered neighbors, the women met using online social media networks like Twitter, Facebook and “mommy blogs,” or at conventions and gatherings that promote such tools. While their stories vary, each declares that social media has helped connect her to the community and navigate the challenges of motherhood and family life. “I started blogging because my husband and I were living overseas, and I wanted a way to keep family updated without sending a million e-mails every day,” says Katie Dillon, mother to a 3-year-old daughter, founder of LaJollaMom.com and writer for the La Jolla Neighborhood Examiner. “Then it just grew from there.” Noël Ehlers started her blog, Bird Rock Fabrications, as an extension of her crafting hobby.

OUR FEATURED MOMS: Katie Dillon: @lajollamom Noël Ehlers: @Birdrockfab Michelle Silverman: @MichelleRealtor Lauren Hirsh: @BuyWithMeSd “Then I started to capture things around the neighborhood and the business district, community events I enjoyed that didn’t seem to get much publicity,” she says. Ehler’s daughter attends Bird Rock Elementary School. Lauren Hirsh, director of San Diego Buy With Me, Inc. at BuyWithMe.com and mom to a 4 ½year-old daughter who attends Gillispie School, said she knew “absolutely nothing” about social media. “But I quickly realized its power for business,” she says. Michelle Silverman has worked as a realtor for 20

Some of La Jolla’s social media moms are (from left) Michelle Silverman, Realtor; Noël Ehlers with her family; and Katie Dillon with her daughter. Courtesy photos

years, specializing in coastal La Jolla properties, and has two grown daughters. “I didn’t have social media while they were growing up,” she says. “But I knew my industry was changing, and I wanted to change with it. When I decided to get involved with Facebook and Twitter, my kids thought I was crazy.” A national study released by The Retail Advertising and Marketing Association last year showed that stay-at-home moms dominate social media compared to other average adults. “Women need that connection,” Hirsh says. “I would hazard to say that post-partum depression has decreased. Early motherhood is hard no matter where you are. With this network, you don’t have to be lonely.” As a mom to older children away at college and law school, Silverman didn’t have social media while raising her daughters. But she said it still helps her tackle the “empty nest” phase of motherhood by keeping in touch. SEE TWITTER, Page 2

A member of the Bike and Build cross-country cycling team poses in a Tennessee cornCOURTESY PHOTO field.

Bike & Build cyclists end 70-day trek BY JENNA FRAZIER | VILLAGE NEWS A band of weary travelers will descend upon La Jolla Shores today to celebrate the conclusion of a 70-day bicycling pilgrimage across the country to promote affordable housing. The 32 riders, ages 18 to 25, are all college students or graduates from various walks of life who applied to work with the nonprofit organization Bike and Build last fall. Each prospective participant was required to raise $4,000 and pedal at least 500 miles prior to the trip. On May 16, the entourage departed from Nags Head, N.C., for a summer of rising at 5 a.m. and averaging 75 miles of cycling per day. A van followed the group at all times, carrying supplies to make meal and rest stops quick and easy. Today marks the final stop of their journey, and the travelers will bid one another farewell and disperse to their respective hometowns. Four days of the entire trip were allotted for respite — one in the Grand Canyon and the remainder in various cities scattered along the route. The journey also included 12 “build days,” which involved teaming up with local affordable housing organizations to work on construction sites and present information at town hall-style meetings. Since its inception in 2002, Bike and Build has contributed more than $2.3 million through more than 1,000 participants to fund affordable housing projects planned and executed by young adults. Through grants and donations, the group has promoted its cause in 47 states.


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