As another year wanes and The Sopris Sun approaches its sixth birthday, the board would like to thank our donors, advertisers, contributors and readers for your continued support. As a non-profit, local newspaper, we constantly strive to better connect our community and provide information valuable to Carbondale’s diverse population. With those ideals in mind, we certainly have had a year worth celebrating.

Early in the year, the board and staff embarked on a strategic planning process that helped us take a fresh look at our mission and goals. Out of those discussions grew a desire to invite your feedback and ideas for shaping The Sopris Sun’s future. The Community Open House in July (and related surveys) provided great input for the types of articles you already love reading and what more you want to see in The Sun. The board and staff have already responded to many of those suggestions by hiring John Colson as a part-time reporter, providing opportunities for poets and flash-fiction writers to share their work, and incorporating the talents of high school interns into the content we publish each week in print and online. Also, we now have a monthly “KidZone” for youngsters to share their artwork and thoughts. (https://cobblerexpress.com/)

As always, we continue to highlight Carbondale’s many non-profit organizations and their events, and we enjoy sharing the stories of citizens who strike a universal cord of loving our town and valley. Last March, The Sun hosted the town trustee candidates’ forum (“squirm night”), reflecting our dedication to informing the public regarding local politics and inspiring civic engagement. We strive to publish timely articles about the issues we face in Carbondale and the historical context that got us here, and to bring you stories and photos you won’t find in the Glenwood or Aspen dailies.

In response to reader suggestions, this November, The Sopris Sun launched its SunScriber program — to make tax deductible donating easier and offer individuals and businesses the option of making automatic monthly or annual donations. We are fortunate to have so many faithful advertisers, but advertising dollars alone do not cover the costs of producing a 16 to 20-page paper each week.  Your financial contributions are critical to pay staff, cover printing, etc. They also demonstrate to our foundation partners that when we say “The Sopris Sun is Carbondale’s community-supported newspaper,” we are not just blowing smoke. Every donation counts, no matter the size. By adding your name to our list of SunScribers you are playing a vital part in the life of this paper and this community.

Please consider all that The Sopris Sun provides for Carbondale and how our incredible community deserves its own newspaper forum. Your donations of any amount and at any time throughout the year will help to secure a strong future for Carbondale’s community connector. Together, we can keep The Sun shining!

Thank you,

The Sopris Sun Board:

Colin Laird, Debbie Bruell, Sue Gray, Barbara Dills, Denise Barkhurst, Craig Fulmer and Cliff Colia.

PS: You can SunScribe quickly online at www.soprissun.com, by sending a check to P.O. Box 399, or by dropping off your donation at our spacious new Third Street Center office (across from the old office we shared with LIFT-UP, at the end of the long hallway). We will thank all our 2014 supporters and advertisers in the upcoming issues of the paper.