Dear Readers of The Northern Light,
As your community newspaper serving Blaine, Birch Bay and Semiahmoo, we’ve always believed that reliable local news should be accessible to everyone. That’s why we’ve maintained our commitment to free distribution and working hard to keep you in the loop about what is happening in our area for the past 29 years.
Did you know that The Northern Light goes to more homes by far than any other newspaper in Whatcom County? We print 10,500 copies every week; copies are delivered by the U.S. Mail to 9,850 homes while the rest go to retail and service locations.
The reality of publishing a weekly newspaper in today’s economy presents significant challenges. Last year alone, it cost $104,000 just to mail The Northern Light to an ever-increasing number of homes. This expense, our second highest cost, continues to rise at a rate that outpaces what we can reasonably charge our advertisers.
You might wonder why this matters to you. Consider what The Northern Light brings to your doorstep: Comprehensive coverage of city council meetings; school board decisions and local development projects; timely updates about community events; practical advice on health, homecare, pets and more; and the stories that bind our community together. We’re usually the only journalists in the room during crucial governmental meetings, ensuring transparency and keeping you informed about decisions that directly affect your daily life.
Think of us as your community watchdog, your event calendar and your neighbor’s voice all rolled into one. We’re here when you need to know about changes in local ordinances, upcoming construction projects, new businesses in town or school achievements. We’re here to celebrate our community’s successes and to shed light on issues that need attention.
While we remain committed to free distribution, we could use your help. Those distributions and other costs keep climbing faster than we can keep up with through advertising alone. We’re reaching out to you, our readers, to consider supporting your local newspaper with a contribution of any amount. Think of it as buying your neighbor a coffee – except in this case, you’re helping ensure everyone in our community stays informed and connected.
Your support, no matter the amount, will help keep The Northern Light arriving at every door in our community. At the end of the day, we’re not just delivering news – together we’re helping build a stronger, more connected community. Imagine if there was no weekly newspaper and you had to rely upon social media to get your news.
Please consider making a contribution today to help keep your community newspaper strong and independent for years to come.
Sincerely,
Patrick Grubb and Louise Mugar
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