by Melanie Jongsma, Publisher
LANSING, Ill. (June 1, 2021) – I had a chance this month to look through some stats about The Lansing Journal from two years ago. We were trying to get help at that time, from a company that specializes in helping small newspapers “build financial sustainability — because the public deserves access to quality journalism.” After pulling together information about The Lansing Journal and our community, and emailing back and forth with this company, and finally meeting with their reps via Zoom one afternoon, I was deflated when I learned they wouldn’t be able to help us after all. We were too small, they said.
That was two years ago, and a lot has happened since then (including a pandemic). The Lansing community has rallied around this community newspaper — and we’ve grown. From just over 500 subscribers at that time, to just under 4,000 now. From approximately 10 advertisers in the monthly print edition (not counting Shopper advertisers), to 28 advertising digitally during a typical month now. From 40 occasional supporters to more than 400 now, 25 percent of whom signed up as monthly supporters.
We were too small for that newspaper sustainability organization to take on — and maybe we still are — but we were just the right size for this community to believe in.
Thank you.
If you are not yet a contributor to this little newspaper, I hope you will read the names below and join me in thanking these visionary believers. It’s because of them that this community has a community newspaper.
Thank you, May supporters
- Lindsey and Saad Abbasy
- Karen Adams
- Donna Marshall Attinello
- Claude Baker
- Judith Beezhold
- Dan Bergan
- Barry Bergstrom
- Joanne Bertalan
- Susan Bovino
- Theresa Bresnahan
- Janice Brink
- John Bush
- Maryann Centracchio
- Laurel Clausing
- Greg and Jane Compeau
- Marlene Cook
- Diane Costello
- Denise Cox
- Kerry Czarobski
- Christopher Deckinga
- Debbie DeNardo
- Fran Duffy
- Barb and Rich Dust
- Roseann Dykstra
- Don Dykstra
- Alexa Edwards
- Vicki Evers
- Sandra Farmer
- Frank Fetters
- Fine Tune Auto
- Marilyn Freeman
- Jim and Judy Friesema
- Tina Funchion
- Ernie Gonzalez
- Edward Gonzalez
- Evelyn Gossman
- Jacob Gourley
- Cynthia Griffiths
- Patty Grigutis
- Brian and Kathy Hardy
- Cam and Megan Harvey
- Julie Hiskes
- Ted and Helen Hnatusko
- Marjorie Holme
- Mark Hornung
- Donna Huizenga
- Jim Janssen
- Melanie Jongsma
- Anonymous Supporters
- Joe and Suzanne Jonkman
- Steve Kasper
- Jean Klacik
- Frank Knittle
- Judith Koch
- Pat Kremer
- Cynthia Krusza
- Pamela Lancy
- Clem and Barb Lessner
- Morris Lewis
- Jim and Suzanne Long
- Luci Lugowski
- Kathy Maanum
- Doris Magnabosco
- Roberto Mendoza
- Lynda Mendoza
- Dehlia Mendoza
- Christine Merchat
- Joyce Mulder
- Chuck Murach
- Nauta Enterprises
- Marilou Ooms
- Grant Oppenhuis
- Mary Beth Palka
- Thomas Panichi
- Robert Parrent
- Moira Peterson
- Richard Podgorski
- Rosemarie Polgar
- Jay and Chris Popp
- Joanne Pritchard
- Jean Qualls
- Anonymous Contributor
- Penelope Rellis
- Ridge Animal Clinic
- Jane Roseen
- Anonymous Donor
- Jennifer Saia
- Beverly Sanders
- Carol Schaap
- Sandy Schultz
- Schultz Insurance Agency
- Dave Schurman
- Pete and Shirley Schurman
- Connie Simon
- Todd Simon
- Slaughter & Associates
- Michelle Smith
- Richard Smits
- Frieda Smits
- Reba Spilis
- Kelsee Stallinga
- John Stole
- Jim Sweeney
- Linda Todd
- Anonymous Friends
- Virginia and John Ulaszek
- Leo Valencia
- James Van Milligen
- Gerrit Veenstra
- Tim Vermeer
- Sandy Vree
- Scott Wagner
- Phyllis Warsen
- Waters Edge Aquascaping
- Dave Wilford
- Robert Wood
- Dana Wood
- Patricia Yos
- Chris Zdanowski
Join the believers
If you’ve been enjoying the local news we publish every day, and you want to make sure that our community doesn’t become a news desert, we need your investment too. The Lansing Journal is and will remain a free publication for everyone. But to keep our journalism viable, we need support from anyone who is able.
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