In a valley rich with high-quality media, what sets The Sopris Sun apart? As the lucky editor of this weekly wonder, I can say wholeheartedly that community involvement is what makes The Sun shine brightest.
From quirky photography to serious opinions and timely haikus, we have the honor of publishing a wide array of contributions submitted by our readership. This variety of voices and perspectives creates a tapestry that may best be described as our collective scrapbook.
The Sopris Sun is a journal, conveying a moment in time to be remembered.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization, we are in the blissful business of opening doors. Frequently, The Sopris Sun is the first place that a person sees their work printed and distributed to a potential audience of thousands (even more, accounting for online readership), including friends and strangers.
In this way, we inspire one another to share our gifts — particularly for writing, drawing/painting and photography. Additionally, we strive to elevate other community offerings and events of all sizes.
This week, we take a step further in service to creativity with “Work in Progress,” our new fiction section. Every week, we will dedicate space to a selection of locally-created art and literature submitted to fiction@soprissun.com
Meanwhile, you can expect the same commitment to journalism, with regular updates on local government, schools, the environment and more. We are granted this opportunity thanks to support from donors and advertisers, which has grown our papers and staff substantially in the past year.
Our team now includes two full-time editor/reporters, a part-time Latina editor for el Sol del Valle and a full-time ad manager/executive director. Additionally, we support an hourly graphic designer, an hourly ad designer, two translators, one unstoppable delivery man and a robust pool of talented freelance photographers, writers and cartoonists.
In 2021, The Sopris Sun relaunched its weekly public affairs program on KDNK — Thursdays at 4 p.m. — while dedicating resources to becoming a bilingual newspaper informed by local voices. We also launched our youth journalism program. This has seen tremendous success in its first year, training four remarkable young women into professional journalism.
In a rapidly changing world, The Sopris Sun has been a constant companion, delivering every week without pause for over 13 years. Each issue brings fresh insight (and delight) into the lives of its readership.
The Sopris Sun is more than just a newspaper, it’s our story. We are an educational nonprofit that teaches and preaches community. Goodness knows, nothing could be more important than promoting healthy community in times like these.
Our dedicated board of directors and other volunteers propel our mission (to inform, inspire and build community by fostering diverse and independent journalism) on a modest and growing budget.
And we depend on your donations to make it happen. It’s no secret that the cost of living is outpacing the ability of many beloved local institutions to provide liveable wages. Meanwhile, the costs for printing and distributing this treasure are also increasing along with the uncertainty of global circumstances.
Please consider giving what you can to assure the continuance of this community asset well into the future. Trust that every dollar is received in gratitude and carefully allocated toward meeting our needs and exploring our potential.
You can give online at www.soprissun.com/donate, by mailing a check (to PO Box 399,
Carbondale, Colorado, 81623) or in-person at next week’s movie night fundraiser at the Crystal Theatre. We will be showing two of Dave Taylor’s award-winning films on April 28 beginning at 7 p.m.
On behalf of this soulful “fishwrap” and all of its contributors, I thank you for giving time, attention and dollars toward helping to sustain it. Together, we are The Sopris Sun — a gift that you help circulate.
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