The Beacon’s big fall canvassing drive got off to a good start in early October. We enlisted about 20 of your friends and neighbors as canvassers, and by mid-October each canvasser had picked the names of a dozen or so of their friends and neighbors who hadn’t donated to the Beacon yet this year.
As I write this, our canvassers are contacting people on their list – by e-mail, by phone, by knocking on the door, at the Post Office, at the dump … whatever it takes! – with a reminder that it’s truly up to all of us to help keep the Beacon going.
Is the Beacon Failing?
Absolutely not! Our annual fall canvassing drive is because while we are not failing, we also are not in a financial position to continue forever.
The problem is a simple one – I’m getting older and definitely plan to step down from my full-time position at the Beacon at some point (sooner rather than later, hopefully). But the problem is that I work too many hours for too little pay to reasonably expect anyone else to take on this job.
For the Beacon to continue long past my tenure, the Beacon’s Board of Directors estimates it will require the financial support every year of about 650 Andover households (in addition to all the ads, out-of-town subscriptions, and donations from local organizations that we currently receive). At that level of support, we could increase the salary for my position to what the job marketplace expects for the publisher of a newspaper and Web site and president of a small non-profit organization.
So let me say it again: The Beacon is not failing! But it can’t continue forever with only 200 Andover households donating every year. So please, get a round tuit and donate today!
Donations are starting to come in – including some very generous ones. Thank you! If you’ve told a Beacon canvasser that you’ll be sending a donation, please do it right away, while you’re thinking of it, so we don’t have to follow up with you in November.
And if you haven’t donated to the Beacon yet this year, please don’t wait for someone to knock on your door! Use the coupon on page 4 of the current issue, or click the Donate button on any page of AndoverBeacon.com. If you have questions, visit AndoverBeacon.com/Donor-FAQ or contact me at Charlie@nullAndoverBeacon.com or 735-6099.