The Actual Potentiality of Social Media

Terry Baxter is a Hero. 

Terry is a single mother of three children in Santa Barbara, California and the owner of B Production Company - an event management and promotions company. Terry Baxter is also someone who completely understands the actual potentiality of Social Media. For the last week Terry utilized Social Media for the ultimate greater good and showed us what Social Media is capable of.

In the early morning hours of Sunday, December 17, Dan Carbonaro and Chris Rice of Santa Barbara were reported overdue from their ATV off-roading outing in the Cuddeback Dry Lake Bed area of the Mojave Desert.   

Upon hearing of their disappearance, Terry did not say, "that's too bad" and click the next headline - she took action. Terry set up the Facebook page Friends of Chris Rice and Dan Carbonaro , where she then productively managed the flow of information by answering questions & providing information to hundreds volunteers, friends and family. 

Terry coordinated with the Search and Rescue agencies and eager volunteers, which efficiently streamlined the volunteer process and ensured volunteers helped rather than hindered the operation.

She arranged the setup of a central staging area for supplies and posted the specific location, to simplify the donation of goods. She put local pilots in touch with appropriate officials to prevent overcrowding of the nearby airspace, and organized the supply of gas, water and radios to volunteers on the ground.

She was a voice of hope, positivity and grace to people during a time of unimaginable uncertainty.

Once the word came through that Dan and Chris had been tragically killed, Terry continued to keep the hundreds of followers informed about the memorial events taking place over the coming days.

Beyond the usual inappropriate photos of Walmart shoppers or thinly veiled insults directed at an ex-partner, Terry locked into the real potential of Social Media: Instantly connecting people with common interests, from all over the world, in order to achieve something positive. 

Terry's event management company, B Production's mission is: "B Inspired to B Connected - Be Inspired to improve the commerce and society within your own community and to Be Connected to the resources and diverse fabric of your home town.  One person can make a difference, one step, one day and one life at a time." 

Thank you Terry Baxter for making a difference and demonstrating what is possible. 

Communication and Unity - Community.  

Finally, to the Rice and Carbonaro families, my deepest condolences.