Another Birthday, Another Growth Spurt

Another Birthday, Another Growth Spurt

Plenty has changed since 1997 when Lexington Family Magazine was first published.

We’ve gone from film cameras to Facebook albums, landlines to smart phones, and hairstyles and clothing fads have cycled out and back in again.

Although the magazine’s mission has remained steadfast for the past 19 years – to serve Central Kentucky families – much has changed in these pages.

I joined the magazine team six years ago, shortly after becoming a new mom.

I’ve spent time rifling through filing cabinets of yellowing issues of “Lexington Kids,” as it was once called, and I am astonished at the growth this publication has undergone.

One of my duties here is to compile the monthly events calendar.

In 1997, the calendar in October consisted of 120 events and took up two pages.

The October 2016 issue you are reading right now has 616 events spanning 11 pages.

I added “social media manager” to my roles in January of this year, a job title that certainly did not exist at the time of the magazine’s conception.

This change allows us to communicate with readership in a way I don’t think anyone anticipated 19 years ago.

The magazine has gone from black and white to full color, and from news print to a glossy publication.

Lexington Family has added more columnists, expanded the maternity coverage, ventured into elder care issues, and created successful community events such as the Annual Summer Camps & Activities Fair, the elementary school Writing Contest and the Fit Family Challenge.

All the while, we have continued to celebrate education, to encourage healthy living and to support community events that bring people together.

Not bad for a 19-year-old.

Let’s see what we look like in the year 2035.