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Around Town: The Success of Two Years

By Gary Wamsley
Berthoud Recorder

September 2009 is an exciting month for me. The first day of the month marks the second anniversary of Shar and I having our own newspaper and it has been an exciting time. While we have apparently flunked “retirement,” we have both learned a great deal from this experience.

Though Shar has a degree in journalism, neither of us had done anything like this before. As novices we rushed in where angels fear to tread and learned the business as we went along.

By all accounts we have done quite well. Shar has developed her skills as editor and manager of the Lyons Recorder and the reputation of the paper has soared. She has surrounded herself with a competent and loyal staff and they all work together to create a homey, community-oriented paper for Lyons.

While I take care of the business aspects of both papers, I spend the majority of my time here in Berthoud. I, too, have a competent and dedicated staff that is working to make the Berthoud Recorder an outstanding community newspaper. Working together I think we have succeeded, but they are never satisfied and continue to look for ways to improve with each issue. 

Those of you who have been here for those two years have seen a dramatic change in the Recorder and many of you have shown your support by subscribing. Our subscriber list has been growing at approximately 40 percent per year and shows no signs of slowing down.

Of course none of our success would be possible without our readers. We are looking forward to the next two years of bringing you balanced, honest reporting of local people and events. We have some great ideas for new features and expanded coverage.

The fact that next week marks my 70-minus-one birthday is of only moderate significance. The big event takes place in my dentist’s office two days prior. At my insistence, he will install crowns on my last two implants so I can, after more than two years, enjoy my birthday meal. This is a moment I have been anticipating for a long time.

That also means I can enjoy the chili at the Gateway Appreciation Day on Sept. 12. I’m inviting all of our subscribers to come enjoy the Chili Cook-off and vote for your favorite. This will be our third year of participating and we will have a drawing for a prize and there is a lot of really neat free stuff that businesses give away at this event. In addition to the chili there is free food and beverages. The kids haven’t been ignored. Activities for them include a jump house, chalk drawing on the pavement, and the fire department will have a piñata.

I have to be there at 9 a.m. to pitch my tent, but you can come anytime between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. There really is a free lunch here.

The Bridge-Between Show Choir has their season opener at the Presbyterian Pairs and Spares next Thursday. I haven’t missed this event for several years, and I plan to be there with my camera.

Have a good week and I’ll see you around town.

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