Do what you can
EDITOR: The very existence and viability of local, community journalism has become seriously jeopardized in small towns throughout our entire country. We are fortunate that the publishers of our local newspaper, Rollie Atkinson and Sarah Bradbury, have generated the resolve, the creativity and the grit to offer a unique new business model for keeping our newspaper alive. Their courage, vision and commitment deserve our support. We must not, sometime in the future, regret letting our newspaper disappear. It is imperative that we participate in supporting our town’s local newspaper, contributing now in every way we can before it’s too late. Here are some of the ways we can help:
1. READ our local newspaper!
2. Patronize the newspaper’s advertisers!
3. Buy a weekly subscription or buy the newspaper!
4. Become a regular advertiser!
5. Become an investor!
6. All of the above, starting as soon as possible.
If you are already doing some or all of these things, that’s great. Now, please tell your friends.
If you are not doing some or all of these things, please do not wait, thinking that someone else will do it. Our newspaper is critical to creating and maintaining community. Perhaps a local newspaper is taken for granted because it is so familiar, always there, quietly appearing on the news racks every week. Perhaps we lose sight of its extraordinary importance to what we hold dear: freedom of an independent press, coverage of local events and happenings, researching, investigating and reporting on significant local topics, providing a forum for dialogue about meaningful issues and celebrating our local heroines, heroes and champions. National and international events may seem more exciting, but it’s local government, covered by local journalists, that impacts our daily lives and is shaped by our participation. We sustain our community by sharing important information and having thoughtful conversations. Our newspaper is an elemental glue that connects us and serves us, week in and week out.
Please, do what you can, now. Thank you.Â
Mary Luttrell Cuoio
Forestville
