You meet the nicest people on a Honda...

The following was submitted by Belleville View staff reporter Jerry LaVaute:

You meet the nicest people on a Honda…

In the early 1960’s, Honda Corporation set a goal of quintupling Honda motorcycle sales, from 40,000 units per year to 200,000 units.

To help do this, they developed with Grey Advertising a campaign that said, “You meet the nicest people on a Honda.”

The colorful print ads featured ordinary people like a parent and a child, a young couple and other members of society doing ordinary things on a small Honda motorcycle.

This successful advertising campaign rings true for me when I think about most of the people I have met, just doing my job, for the last several months.

And several of them are or will be featured in my recent or upcoming stories:

· Melissa Reeves, a teacher at Symons Elementary school in Milan, has applied for a $50,000 grant to improve reading skills among students at the school.
· Kyle Oberdorf is a Belleville High School alumnus who has returned to his alma mater to help build what has been called the New Belleville High School.
· Lynette Jordan, who was the Senior Center coordinator for Van Buren township, was promoted on Tuesday to become the new Director of the enterprise. The seniors who attended the formal vote on the appointment appeared to be thrilled with the outcome.
· Betty Ditzik, an Ypsilanti township resident, has raised Old English Sheepdogs for over 20 years. And I got to play with the puppies.
· In a more somber but significant event, I covered the mock vehicle crash at Milan High School on Monday. It left a deep impression on me, and may even improve my personal driving habits, where I’ve allowed myself to become increasingly distracted as I drive.

Yes, you do meet the nicest people on a news writing assignment.