SpecialChronicles.com

Dear Friends of SpecialChronicles.com,

For the past three years, I have been producing the Special Chronicles Podcast at SpecialChronicles.com.

From December 1, 2012 through January 10, 2013, I have had over 1,045 views on the website (and growing), according to our WordPress statistics. And more than 512 unique podcast downloads worldwide (and growing), according to our Podtrac measurement data provided by Podtrac feed.

Within the past three years of podcasting at SpecialChronicles.com, we have had over 2,385 (and growing) downloads globally, according to the feedburner feed.

This new media work is really important for both myself and other people diagnosed with disabilities, because it gives all of us an audible medium to let our voices be heard on SpecialChronicles.com. Many who may know me, either online or in-person, know that podcasting is a huge passion of mine, hence my twitter handle “@podmandan.” Each audio podcast that I produce, takes about eight to ten hours to produce–this includes the pre-production, production, and post-production.

Over these past few years of podcasting, there have been two communities that have helped to encourage me as I venture into this podcasting work. One empowering community is within the Special Olympics organization. Through Special Olympics, I have been able to share how this organization helps to break down the labels and barriers that some in our society may not understand. Another inspiring community is the Star Quest Production Network, which is a multimedia organization that produces audio and video programs that are faithful to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.

On Friday, January 4, 2013, on the CBS2Chicago 10:00PM Newscast, an Anchor/Reporter for the CBS2

Chicago News, Rob Johnson, aired an original, inspiring story featuring my media work. After Johnson interviewed Daniel, he encouraged the new media work at SpecialChronicles.com.

“You’re filling a need. There’s not six other people doing this. You are the one and you have a great narrative. And you don’t have to sit there and do various things and then get to this. You can just do this.”
– Rob Johnson, an Anchor/Reporter for CBS2Chicago News

On Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012 in the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper, one of my Journalism Professors, John W. Fountain, wrote a very kind column profiling the hard work that I have been doing and how I’ve defied labels.

“And in the end, what will make my encounter with Dan as one of his professors most special aren’t the lessons I might have taught him, but the lessons he taught me — that perhaps he taught us all. None greater than this: That even a disability is no match for the human spirit.”
– John W. Fountain, Columnist in the Chicago Sun-Times and Professor of Journalism at Roosevelt University

On my graduation day on Friday, Dec. 14th, I was blown away from the very generous support of my friends, staff, and faculty at Roosevelt University’s Department of Communication who chipped in to raise $840. In order to continue this podcasting work, I am in major need of a MacBook Pro and a few other professional podcasting equipment. My goal is to raise $3,000 in order to continue producing these podcasts.

“As always, I am grateful for the work you are doing. You are certainly making this world a better place to live!”
– Dr. Jiwon Yoon, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Communication at Roosevelt University

There are still many more stories to tell of people who have been diagnosed with the “disability” label. If you find that the podcast content here at SpecialChronicles.com is helping to give a voice to those diagnosed with the label of a “disability,” then please consider helping to support this new media work. If you find that this new media content is inspiring, informative, and entertaining, then I cannot continue this work without your help.

Please help to support future new media content at SpecialChronicles.com by clicking the safe and secure PayPal “donate” button. If you’d like to discuss alternative payment methods, please email me at dan [at] specialchronicles [dot] com.

Thanks in advance for your assistance and from the bottom of my heart, I’m grateful for any support you can provide.

With gratitude and blessings,

Daniel Smrokowski
SpecialChronicles.com, Journalist/Founder/Executive Director
Email: dan@specialchronicles.com
Voicemail Feedback Line: 630-384-9137

Still Not Convinced to help support the new media work at SpecialChronicles.com? Then, Click Here, and/or watch the video below, to hear how others have praised the New Media work at Special Chronicles.

According to Cliff Ravenscraft, Full-Time Podcast Producer, Consultant, & Coach at PodcastAnswerMan.com:

“I’m inspired by how much Daniel Smrokowski has accomplished through his podcast journalism for those with special needs.  He just graduated from college [December 2012] and feels the call to pursue podcast journalism for special needs full-time.  I meet a lot of people who have shared this ambition. However, he’s one of these guys who has accomplished a great deal in the three years that he’s already put into this.”