By the Park Press Board of Directors, publishers of the Bugle
When the election 2015 campaign signs come down after Nov. 3, we hope to see a number of bright yellow signs still standing in yards that say, “I Support the Bugle.” We ask that you to join those neighbors in supporting this community gem.
The Bugle that lands on your doorstep each month is more than the culmination of a month’s worth of work. It is the legacy of a commitment made nearly 42 years ago to tell and share the stories of our community— Como Park, Falcon Heights, Lauderdale and St. Anthony Park.
You are a critical part of that legacy.
Though the Bugle is delivered free to your home every month, it is not “free.” The Bugle is a nonprofit organization that relies on the financial support of our neighbors to continue to serve our community. While advertising revenues cover some costs, donations from our readers form an important part of the funding needed to produce, publish and deliver the paper to 14,500 homes and businesses and to help beef up our online presence.
Many neighborhoods have lost their community newspapers in recent years, so it’s more important than ever for each of us to help sustain this important resource.
It costs $12,500 per issue to produce the Bugle. Twenty-five percent of that goes to printing and distribution. Five percent goes to administrative costs, and 70 percent goes to pay the salaries and stipends of our staff, writers and photographers who create the content you love. Advertising sales cover only 70 percent of the Bugle’s operating costs.
This year, we hope to raise $36,000 from the tax-deductible donations of readers like you.
If you’ve donated to the Bugle in the past, thank you; please consider giving more this year. If you’ve not given, now is the time. You will make it possible for the Bugle to keep telling our stories for another five, 10 or 35 years.
You can donate in a variety of ways: There is a return envelope inserted in this issue for your donation, or you can visit our website at www.parkbugle.org and click on the “Donate Now” button in the upper right-hand corner to give online. Or simply mail a check to: Park Bugle, P.O. Box 8126, St. Paul, MN 55108.
Together, with your financial support, we’re confident that the Bugle can continue to be part of our community conversations in the years ahead.