Years old, that is. It’s April the first, and today is the Gumboot’s second birthday. That officially puts us in the Aries camp, and might explain why we think it’s cool to be Quadra’s first (okay, only) interactive community website!

Good things come in pairs, and there’s more than one reason why we have this sudden urge to light candles. In the last thirty-one days, our readership has soared over the 3000-visits-per-month mark – a first in Gumboot history, and the kind of math we-the-editors get pretty jazzed about.

When we launched the ‘Boot two years ago today, we had no idea if the concept would achieve lift-off. Seems the numbers – and the fact no one’s thrown tomatoes too accurately in our direction – would indicate something in the mix has received Quadra’s “Stomp of Approval” (and I’ve wanted to trot that phrase out for more than a year now).

So I have to ask… is there a more fitting way to begin Year Three of the Gumboot than to actually give wings to a monthly award that spotlights what our island’s noteworthy citizenry is up to? Really, we just can’t go on being the Gumboot without conferring our very own Stomp of Approval. Let’s say it’s official, Quadra – the Gumboot’s on the lookout for tales of fact and funny… artful acts… magnanimous gestures… you know, the stuff that makes us go all warm and fuzzy. Details will follow this week on a community website near you!

Meanwhile, we respectfully encourage all of you to spy on your neighbours and let us know who’s doing the coolest things imaginable on our common stretch of turf!

For our part, we’ll be here – posting your articles and ideas, your fave photos, uploading all the news and events and reviews you send us. Got new ideas for what you’d like the Boot to be? Get in touch – let’s see where Year Three of being the Gumboot can take us!