YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO FAR FOR A GOOD STORY.

Byline: -- Jason Kandel

So there was this guy, John Lee, who stood outside a La Crescenta church last month waiting for a historical society meeting to start. He stood, with his neatly trimmed white beard, clutching his old hand-held radio near his ear to listen to a radio program.

Then he told me about his lifelong passion with trains.

``You can find me every morning between 7:30 and 10 at the Glendale train station,'' he said as I dutifully jotted down his words.

Intrigued, I got up early one morning and went to the station to see if I could find him.

He was there, perched on a beach chair, reading a newspaper -- like an out-of-work Santa Claus in a camouflage hat.

Turns out he's been going to the station every day since the 1970s and knows every schedule of every Amtrak and Metrolink train that rumbles by the platform. He's also a nice guy, quick to help befuddled passengers who can't find their trains.

Lee is one of a group of retirees who does this every day. You won't get lost in Glendale. The greeters are there to help.

This story harkens to another time, and is remarkable because in this instant-messaging, dot-com world, there are people out there who take the time to lend a hand.

It's also an example that shows you don't have to go far to find a good story.

This is what intrigues me about this new citizen journalism project we call valleynews.com.

Everybody has a story.

Here, on page 5, you'll find a story about a group of teenagers who won an Emmy for a documentary on teen violence. On page 4 you'll read about local hospital workers who ran and walked a marathon to raise money for hospital health programs.

And with fall upon us, you'll find a preview on page 4, of the pumpkin-loving, scarecrow-hanging Tierra del Sol Foundation's fourth annual Fall Festival.

So now you have no excuses not to be heard here. Log on to valleynews.com and open a vein.