Tuesday night, Trey Pennington – a well-known social media practitioner and speaker – came to speak at SMC Knoxville‘s Official Launch Party. His topic? Social media’s impact on society.

I’ve thought about this topic before, and even wrote a post on my own blog earlier this summer about Twitter’s individual impact. But Trey’s example was even more powerful than mine.

He told a story of a Water of Life charity event that the President of Liberia, Madam President Ellen Sirleaf Johnson, was planning to speak at. The problem he faced was that he needed a jet to take her from Charlotte, NC to Greenville, SC within a very short period of time, and he had no money to do it with. When a friend of his posted a Facebook status update about the dilemma, Franklin Graham of Samaritan’s Purse offered the use of a jet and the problem was solved. Talk about ROI! All it took was one status update:

It really just amazes me how social media impacts how we connect as a people. Through it, I know people I would have never met otherwise – both locally here in Knoxville and all over the country. When I have a question, or need help with something, any number of my “Twitter friends” are there to assist me.

Ironically this morning as I write this post, I think I have found the greatest example of how my social media friends help and support me. Last night, one of my dogs decided to go for a “joy run” through the neighbors yards. After much searching with no luck finding him, I decided to reach out to people via Twitter and Facebook.

Now I don’t know what the outcome of this will be, or if social media will really help find my dog…but I do know that over 50 people have RTed the story on my behalf or sent me messages/comments about it. And in this moment, it’s amazing to feel that I have people, not just from Knoxville but all over, hoping I find my dog…and lots of Knoxvillians keeping an eye out for him.

These are people I would never know if we hadn’t all found each other via Twitter or Facebook…but they are spreading the word/photo of my dog around Knoxville. And I’m so very amazed and honored that they are. This could sound cliche, but I do believe that social media is changing the world. Just look at events like Twestival…