So, why do I do what I do?

That’s what an industry consultant wants to know about those of us who dedicate our careers to working for a community newspaper. I thought I’d share my answer with you, our readers.

In my case, I’ve spent 28 years serving 23 communities ranging in size from the 8,600 homes in Oregon to the 80 homes in Rocky Ridge.

It’s certainly not for fame, wealth or a desk at the New York Times, although our photographer, Ken Grosjean, recently had a photo reprinted in the Times. The chances are slim that a Press story would get national play, but it has happened. Two come to mind: one about Marty Frankel’s criminal enterprise before he defrauded southern insurance companies of $208 million and another about Diane Conrad, the nanny who ripped off families across the United States including a Perrysburg Township one. In this latter story, the victim who was taken for $80,000, took my column entitled Dear Nanny, where did all the money go? to America’s Most Wanted. After the story aired nationally, other victims were discovered and Conrad was arrested in a Virginia motel.

A more recent example is our story about the Northwood man who died after waiting 28 minutes for help to arrive after his wife placed three 9-1-1 calls. In response, the city will implement a better system to protect its residents.

Exposing scoundrels, righting wrongs and solving problems for neighbors are obvious reasons to work for a community newspaper. But, these types of stories are infrequent. We do not live in a high-crime area and most of our public servants are just that—public servants who do a good job with limited resources. There are a slew of other reasons why I manage a community newspaper. Here are a few:

We help make dreams come true. I remember a little girl who answered a classified ad I placed to sell my daughter’s first bike. It was to be her first bike too. She paid me $10 in quarters. The light in her eyes and the smile on her face gave me a new appreciation for what a classified ad can do.

Advertising can do the same for adults. I was reminded of this at a recent chamber function sitting next to one of our most loyal clients and his son. He paid for college educations for five children, mostly because of his business acumen, but also because he places a significant ad schedule in our paper. In turn his support has helped me pay for college educations for two of my children.

I have heard similar stories from other small business owners who credit our newspaper with playing a part in their success. These businesses help build viable communities through the taxes they generate, the traffic they attract and the jobs they provide. Supplying a cost-effective product for them is also satisfying. So too is helping families with their buying decisions. According to our latest audit from the Circulation Verification Council, 80 percent of those who receive The Press regularly read it and 76 percent regularly purchase products and services seen in The Press.

We also help those less fortunate and those facing a crisis. In one instance, we wrote about a young cancer victim whose insurance company wouldn’t pay for a bone marrow transplant. We also donated ads to publicize a benefit which raised more than $18,000. Over the years, we have written many such stories and donated many ads to community groups so they can use their limited resources to deliver services to those in need.

We celebrate the best of us and the best in us. We write about sports triumphs, classroom excellence and personal success. This year, for example, we wrote about three women who accomplished remarkable things: One overcame Guillain-Barre Syndrome to play college soccer; one completed the 800-mile Serum Run dog sled race in Alaska; and another was the first woman pilot in the United States Marines.

We also inspire our readers. One of our regular columnists, Bryan Golden, provides advice on how to meet your goals, live in the present, control your emotions and manage stress. We have received many notes about his column. Here’s one: “I just wanted to say "thank you" for your very supportive articles. They are extremely inspiring - so much so - that I cut them out and mail them to my family. I always appreciate reading something of worth - your articles live up to my expectations.”

Over the years, I’ve written more than 150 columns about local people who rose above the difficult challenges they faced. They include the Genoa grandmother who helped solve her daughter’s murder, the East Toledo man who survived gruesome medical experiments at the hands of the Nazis during World War II and the Oregon man who donated a kidney to his father.

Our reporters have written similar stories about the courage, generosity and passion for life our readers have.

To me, community journalism is not just a minor league for the daily newspaper or a public relations firm. A good newspaper is a mirror of the community it serves, it is an outlet for the rants and raves of its readers, it informs, it makes you laugh, cry and care and at times, it can make you so mad you throw your paper against the wall.

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