From all of us at Knox Pages: Thank you

As Cheryl Splain, Marty Trese and I walked out of the Memorial Building last night, following Knox Pages’ Membership Kickoff, it’s safe to say we all shared a similar feeling:

We were inspired.

We were inspired by the crowd that packed Memorial Ballroom to join us as we launched our new membership program. And we were inspired by our community’s willingness to support our mission – to deliver accurate, in-depth reporting that tells Knox County’s story.

From all of us at Knox Pages and Source Media Group, we’d like to extend a warm thank you to all who stopped by.

Last night was the official kickoff to our membership program, which is designed to create a community around local journalism and allow Knox Pages to continue to grow and serve the community. By becoming a member at any level, you are directly supporting Knox Pages newsroom efforts, and 100% of your support goes to our newsroom budget.

It’s about the journalism 

Our reporting offers a fresh look at local problem-solving. Whether this means waking up at 4 a.m. to document how local superintendents make snow day decisions; looking outside our community to find out what a charter government has looked like in other cities, as Mount Vernon considered its own; or answering long-held community questions like, ‘Why are gas prices higher in Mount Vernon?’; it is important to report on the things that concern us as a community.

Our reporting helps promote local businesses and our community as a whole. By telling the stories of our new local business owners, we give the community an inside look at not only what they do, but why they do it. Sure, Rebecca and Navin Ajodhya make wonderful pastries at Half Baked Cafe and Catering. But why do they love what they do? Where do they come from, and how has it shaped who they are today? By taking our readers behind the curtain, we bring our community closer.

Our reporting tells our community’s story. Every day, people here in Knox County are doing extraordinary things. They’re being brave, they’re breaking down barriers, and they’re making a difference in our community. By taking the time to report in-depth feature stories on these people, we believe our community can become stronger. We can learn from each other and lift each other up. We can inspire ourselves.

By becoming a member, you can help make this reporting possible.

It’s about the savings

Members also receive discounts at local businesses, and we were thrilled to announce our initial 12 member partners at last night’s kickoff. We would like to thank these businesses for jumping on-board (and offering some fantastic discounts!):

• Apple Valley Golf Course
• Dave’s Cosmic Subs
• Door 142
• Duffers Restaurant and Pub
• Half Baked Cafe and Catering
• Indian Bear Lodge
• LakeFit Nutrition
• Mount Vernon Grand Hotel
• Stein Brewing Company
• The Weather Vane
• Y-Not Cycling and Fitness

In addition, members will receive discounts at over 20 businesses in Richland and Ashland counties – when you sign up for a Source Membership, you get the whole package. Members are also invited to monthly meet-ups, where you can talk face-to-face with our reporters and newsmakers about issues that concern you.

We see the membership program as a way to partner with our community to make our reporting possible. As Source Media Group publisher Jay Allred told those who attended last night’s kickoff, this is not merely a transaction – it’s a partnership.

“We think it’s better to do journalism with readers than to them,” Jay said. That’s our goal.

As Knox Pages continues to enhance its presence in the local news scene, we see this as an exciting new chapter. That’s why last night meant so much to us. It was wonderful to see familiar faces, and to meet new ones.

After we explained our membership program in-full, community members from across the county mingled over free drinks and hors d’oeuvres. We saw David Greer win a two-night stay at Indian Bear Lodge, and we celebrated as Larry Hall became our first member from Knox County – and Kokosing River Productions became Source Media Group’s 400th overall.

It was the perfect start to the future of our news organization, and as Cheryl, Marty and I walked down the Memorial Building steps after the dust had settled, we talked about how inspired we were. We talked about how grateful we were for the community’s support, and the positive feedback we received. We’ve come along way since 2012, when Marty took over the website and turned it into what it is today.

That said, our next chapter is just beginning. With your support, we have work to do. Ever the leader, Cheryl brought that focus back to the forefront.

“Well, enough patting ourselves on the back,” she said with a smile. “Let’s get back to work.”