Sweet "16" An Editorial By Kerri Snowdin, Publisher

   This February we will be celebrating our 16th anniversary in publication. Several readers have grown up with us and we’ve become a trusted source of information. Our readers want to know what’s going on in the community we serve and that’s what we deliver. Have we reached the age of responsibility? I believe we have.

    Our circulation remains strong, which tells me this newspaper remains a priority in the lives of our readers. Even though we anticipate a slight decrease in advertising dollars due to the slower, winter months that are approaching, Coopersville and the surrounding communities we serve have stepped up to the plate every January as we take care of each other.

   There are a lot of small businesses that only do business in the Coopersville area. Most of our advertising revenues come from these local companies and they truly are what keep us going. Although a tough economic time has been hard on most of them, we continue to support each other.

   We are approaching that time of year that is notorious for decreased advertising revenue for all newspapers and we try to prepare for it. This is why we conduct our annual Volunteer Subscription Drive at this time of year and why we are also thankful to you - - our faithful volunteer subscribers. Your past donations have truly gotten us through the slow winter months and I hope you will continue to show that support.
In spite of these tougher, leaner times, The Observer staff is even more committed to the ideals of this newspaper. By reporting the daily life events of local citizens, we serve an important function in the community and the economics of keeping it afloat. Small town newspapers can reflect, affirm, and build a positive community atmosphere and we strive to do this - - even as larger, corporate newspapers are downsizing and disappearing, we are maintaining and remaining.

   We feel privileged to publish such a well accepted newspaper and I remind myself of this every day. I believe as long as we continue to provide a good product that informs the community of the positive things that happen here (and do it with respect, accuracy, and integrity) while providing our advertisers with results that make their businesses successful, we have accomplished our goal for another year.

   As we look forward to 2012, I would like to personally thank all of you: the dedicated advertisers, faithful readers, and especially volunteer subscribers. We owe our successes to every one of you. Many of you realize you don’t have to contribute in order to receive the paper, but you do it because you believe in our mission of bringing you the “community paper with the positive difference!”

   If a “Volunteer Subscription” return envelope is missing from your paper, please use the form below to show your continued support and mail to: The Observer, P.O. Box 111, Coopersville, MI 49404. Be one of the first 100 volunteer subscribers and receive a FREE “classified ad” to be used anytime during 2012.

   In closing, the staff of The Observer and I wish you a Christmas filled with cheer, surrounded by your loved ones, with the knowledge that the Divine love that is the focus of the season, is with each and every one of you.

Most Sincerely,
Kerri

Yes, I/we would like to be a volunteer subscriber
for the 2012 calendar year.
Enclosed is my contribution to: The Coopersville Observer in
the amount of: $15 ___ $20 ___ $25 ___ Other ___

From: Name ______________________________
Address _________________________________
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*(If you live outside our circulation area of Coopersville, Conklin, Lamont, and Marne? Please call for special fees.)