Off topic is not a particular problem...
But, back to the task at hand -- I've been perusing other forums to see how they have formatted their descriptions and I think this may be a good fit that includes everyone's ideas:
[bold at the top] Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, northern California
[skip a line, then regular text]
Welcome to the Pacific Northwest forum. We are bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean, and are bisected by the Coast, Olympic, and Cascade mountain ranges. Our diverse region includes temperate rain forests, verdant river valleys, arid desert plateaus, and alpine mountains. Our discussions are lively, cordial, and at times wander off topic. Please join in.
??