A big thank you to our readers! I was overwhelmed by the positive response to the first issue of Valley Response Magazine. Within one week of its release, I received close to 100 emails and phone calls from readers offering supportive feedback, ideas for future editorial topics, and inquiries about subscriptions to the magazine. After months of hard work preparing for our launch, it is very gratifying to find that the Valley Response team’s efforts have been so well received. We will continue working to live up to the standards we have set for ourselves and hope that you, our readers, will continue to share your thoughts, suggestions, and any information that will help us to continually improve and grow as a community-oriented publication.

In the current issue, my wonderful staff of contributors has helped put together another great issue. In honor of February being Go Red for Women Month, the theme for this issue is Cardiac Awareness. There are two great articles promoting the importance of maintaining a healthy heart. Based on a true story, Political Ends: Life or Death in the Public Eye details the life of a woman who allowed a stressful lifestyle to lead her into a profusion of unhealthy habits. In Jump Start a Heart, we discover why it’s important to understand how to operate an Automatic Electronic Defibrillator in addition to knowing the basics of CPR—it can save a life.

The Special Feature captures the essence of our publication in a story about multiple agencies working together with volunteers and bystanders to help rescue a victim who took a dangerously steep fall near Three Rivers. In a remarkable stroke of journalistic timing, one of our photographers was at the scene (off-duty) and was able to get several amazing shots of the heroic rescue.

For the new year, my resolution is to establish Valley Response Magazine’s reputation as the community’s resource guide for health and safety and to let you in on the lives of the people that save lives in our community. Please continue to let me know the information you and your family deem the most important, entertaining, and interesting. It does my heart good to get your perspective.

From the staff at Valley Response Magazine, we wish all of you a safe and healthy new year!