08/28/2000

Starting a Community Newspaper

Have you ever thought about starting a community newspaper? Barbara Kidwell met some people in her community who not only thought about it.they did it! After reading her account below, perhaps you'll consider such a community-building project in your hometown.

Plainville's Hometown Connection
By Barbara Kidwell

Plainville is a Connecticut locale where the growth of population and exigencies of modern living have eroded the small-town atmosphere. A few residents of Plainville recognized the change and wanted to do something to rekindle the hometown ambience. They wanted to provide a positive influence in the town, and make the residents feel connected to each other again. From those roots sprang Plainville's Hometown Connection.

The Idea

In February 1997 Helen Bergenty, a member of the Plainville Town Council, attended a library reception. She mentioned that she had seen a community newspaper for another town, and felt that Plainville would benefit from such a paper. She wanted to encourage business and to create an atmosphere where people would want to live. Also attending the reception was Norman Stitham, a senior who had retired from Spaulding Co. Inc. as a Xerox representative after a thirty year career in marketing, sales, advertising and printing. He envisioned a volunteer effort dedicated to informing the people of Plainville of "good news" and to developing pride in their town. Mr. Stitham offered to put the paper together if there were sufficient interest in the community.

Three meetings were held to determine whether enough people were interested to make the project feasible. Twenty-two residents attended the meetings. None of them had newspaper experience, but all of them were committed to bringing good news to Plainville. The Plainville Community News, Inc., was soon established as a non-profit, non-political, all-volunteer group of residents. Helen Bergenty was named president; Jeannette Hinkson, Vice-President; and Norman Stitham, Treasurer.

The Preparation

Norman Stitham took on the formidable task of training all the volunteers in their new positions. Mr. Stitham's philosophy of volunteerism is simple: "Everyone has a gift and a talent. We'll find a place to use yours." Twenty persons agreed to work on the newspaper in various capacities. They solicit advertisements, seek news stories from the community, type all stories and set up advertisement copy in their home computers, proofread all text and distribute copies. Most of the copies are mailed, but some are distributed manually to various businesses and public institutions. All paper supplies, paste-up and layout supplies and computer ink jet cartridges are donated by the volunteers at no charge to the newspaper.

A contest was held in the community to name the newspaper. Over 700 names were submitted. The winner was Plainville's Hometown Connection. Additional officers were appointed to handle the work involved in the paper's creation. They are Avis Flanders, Secretary; Marguerite Staskavich, Treasurer; and Rev. Christopher Horvath, Decency Director.

Growth

Plainville's Hometown Connection was an immediate success. The paper is distributed free of charge and contains only good news. It is printed ten times a year (December/January and July/August are dual issues). The number of copies printed each month has been increased three times since the paper began in order to meet demand. Currently 9500 copies are printed each issue. A subscription mailing list is also maintained for former residents now living throughout the United States and for servicemen overseas. Mr. Stitham notes that many merchant advertisers report business increases. Parents and children look forward to seeing their names and pictures in the newspaper. As the Plainville Hometown Connection staff put it, "Our service to the various organizations, civic and charitable groups, churches, senior citizens and schools have renewed the "Pride" in our community and success stories are coming from many areas."

The Philosophy

Mr. Stitham is modest about his accomplishments, preferring to give credit to his hardworking group of volunteers. He gives the credit for the inception of the newspaper to Helen Bergenty: "She had the determination. I just had the experience." And he gives special credit to the people of Plainville for their reception of the newspaper and their support. He says, "This is not my newspaper, or the newspaper of the people who work on it. This newspaper belongs to the people of Plainville." Mr. Stitham and his crew have truly made a Hometown Connection within Plainville.

Please send questions or comments to bbruno@snet.net.