Our readers’ responses continue to be overwhelming. We still have a way to go, but after less than five weeks of the new Membership model, we are more than 40 percent of the way to the minimum annual amount we estimate we will need from Memberships for the newspaper to be acquirable by younger publishers willing to continue to publish a real newspaper for our community. You all clearly want a continued real newspaper on our Hill, both online and ink-on-paper, and you are stepping up to make that happen.
The Town Crier flag now boasts that it is “Member Supported.” A Member-supported newspaper can serve our community endlessly into the future.
And by “people of our Hill community” we include the folk who are not full-time or even part-time residents, but who are acquiring Town Crier Memberships now just because they love Idyllwild and its surrounding communities. Many of them hope to live here full-time some day, and they want the Town Crier still serving our community when they do. We have welcomed new Charter Members from El Cajon to Mendocino. Many of these people have never before been subscribers. We gratefully count these special people as part of our extended Hill community.
And, please remember: If you are an off-Hill Member and you visit the Hill without your current Town Crier issue, you can pick up a free replacement at the Town Crier office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, and anytime you can catch someone in the office during off-hours and weekends.
Many, many thanks to all you Charter Members. Your early responses are encouraging other community-minded readers to join with you. Also, the “Town Crier Member” decals have arrived and will be going out in thank you cards. We hope you will display them on your vehicles so as to encourage others to join us.
The Town Crier now has a magnificent start down the road to being a viable, Member-supported newspaper that can be acquired by younger publishers dedicated to continuing a real newspaper on our Hill. That is the objective.
Idyllwild Town Crier
Charter Members
Saving and Supporting the Town Crier
for our Community
(156 Charter Members as of Sept. 18, 2017)
Angels (4) — Other amount, unlimited above $1,000 annually: Nancy Borchers $2,000; Tom & Kathy Kluzak $1,250; Sub Rosa Apothecary (Julia Meadows & Marc Peterman) $1,200; (1) Anonymous $2,500.
Heroes (4) — $1,000 annually: Anne & Barnaby Finch; Charles “Chic” Fojtik; Janice Lyle; (1) Anonymous $1,000.
Patrons (9) — $500+ annually: Scott Bump & Cynthia Grady; Morgan Cannon; Pamela Jordan & Christopher Scott; Darryl & Susan Heustis; Kitty Kieley Hayes; Ron Luebbert; The Mills Family; Dave & Shanna Robb; (1) Anonymous $500.
Sponsors (34) — $250+ annually: Austin Tile (Chris & Julie Austin); Anne Bleaden; Blair Ceniceros; Diann Coate; The Family Business (Craig & Janice Coopersmith); Dave & Laurie Fraser; Dick & Karen Hadik; Paula & Robert Hetzler; Idyllwild Backhoe (David, Carol, Justin and Denise Jones); Christine Iger; Ben & Nanci Killingsworth; Anne & Jon King; John Larue $350; Jason Laurence & Alexandra Napier; Chuck & Martha Lumia; Nancy Wallace Lungren for Don & Elizabeth Wallace Family Trust; Sue Nash & Tom Paulek; Thomas Noce; Linda McCaughin & Phil Strong; Charles & Margaret Mooney; Ben & Rue Pine; Andy Ridgwell; Martha & Scott Schroeder; Gary Schwandner; Paul Shnable; Adele & Bob Smith; Karen Smith; Anne Stone; Alex & Valerie Virtue; Jolene & Barry Wallace; Kay Wanner & Charlies Wix; Brian Weiss; (2) Anonymous $250.
Sustaining Readers (105) — $100+ annually: Daniel Ballard; Albert Bates; Nancy Beddingfield & Paul Leverenz; Kerry Berman; Douglas & Maureen Boren; Ron Boustead & Ruth Riven (Boustead); Kenneth Camoirano; Bruce Campbell; Garrett & Harmeet Capune; Steve Chadwick; Duane Chamlee; Roberta Corbin & Lawrence Kueneman; Joe Curtis; Barbara & David Cutter; Michael & Margaret D’Ambra; Iris & Peter Davison; John & Linda Denver; Mary Diamond & Tim Doyle; Ruthe Donlon; Greg & Nancy Dunlap; Marcia Edwards; Jennie & Steven Espinosa; Fern Valley Inn (Gary & Marcie Erb); Farah Fisher; Amy Fogerson & Kent Weishaus; Chris Fox; Michael Franich; Françoise Frigola; Roland Gaebert; Carolyn & Bruce Ganoe; Merle & Rosemarie Gardner; Dick & Jan Goldberg; Bob & Corrine Greenamyer; Emily & Eric Heebner; Don “Jac” & Mimi Jacaruso; Josh & Lea Johnson; Marilyn Kemple; Marcia & Ron Krull; Diana & Terry Kurr; Elaine Latimer; Erin Latimer; Donna Kennedy & William Linehan; Bob Lippert; Elaine Lockhart; Barbara & Michael Longbrook; Cathy & Dave Lopez; Marsha Lytle; Michèle Marsh & Peter Szabadi; Brian Marshall; Barbara Mathahs; Bret McCaughin-Strong; Ralph McClurg; Joan McCullough; Maureen McElligott; Carol Mendoza; Middle Ridge, Inc. (Chris & Melody Johnston); Marcia & Richard Montaño; Christen Ng; Dawn & Jim O’Keeffe; Steve Olson & Stephanie Yost; Anthony Pearson; Cecil & Shirley Peters; John Petty; Charles Phelan; Marlene & Thomas Pierce; Ed & Sandy Reed; George & Kathryn Reeves; Margaret & Ned Roberts; Maureen & Steve Rose; Bob & Tracy Sampson; Sandlin & Son Refrigeration (David Sandlin); Vic Scavarda; Richard Schnetzer; Steve Shaw; Judith & Ronald Shenkman; Doug & Lois Sheppard; Patricia and Will Sproule; Jean Stein; Richard Stinson; Mary Talley; James & Joanne Tenney; John Thomford; Arthur Tobias; Deidre & Joe Vail; David Verplank; Anne & Douglas Walker; Barb & Thom Wallace; Pamela Walton; Bill Waring; Sallie Warwick; Annette Wasell c/o Aria Board & Care; Charles & Susan Weisbart; Sheila Weldon; Sharon & Stephen White; Joanne Williams; Jim Wise; Catherine Wood; James Wymer; (1) Anonymous $200; (6) Anonymous $100. Thank you, All!!
Please remember that the Town Crier’s weekly News Meeting is open to the entire public. That’s where decisions are made as to the stories to be covered in the next issue of the paper. Some readers have regularly attended and contributed for years. The meetings currently are at the Town Crier office at 54405 North Circle Drive, Wednesdays at 8:30 a.m., unless Monday is a Town Crier holiday — then the meeting is at 8:30 a.m. the following day, Thursday. There is a meeting today Wednesday, Sept. 20, at 8:30 a.m. Next week’s meeting will be at that same time on Sept. 27.
– Jack and Becky Clark
