May 26, 2024 Update: Our anniversary member drive is now complete. We didn’t hit our goal, but we’re still grateful for everyone who has supported our work over the past five years. You can still become a member and support neighborhood news.
Since May 14, 2019, West St. Paul Reader has delivered neighborhood news supported by neighbors. We’re marking five years of neighborhood news with an anniversary member drive.
- Goal: Add 50 new members for our five-year anniversary by 5/25.
Why support our member drive?
- Inform your community: Our coverage is free to everyone, with no paywalls. That happens thanks to a member-supported model.
- Regular member benefits: Locally commissioned thank you postcards, weekly members-only updates, and discount in our store.
- Member drive rewards: At the end of the member drive, all members will get a prize pack including five new postcards, local swag, and an invite to our members-only picnic celebration on May 25.
Join now: You can become a member through Patreon. Membership starts at just $3 per month or pay annually and save 10% (doubled for the member drive).
Goal: 50 Members for 5 Years
Our goal is to add 50 members for our five-year anniversary by 5/25.
Let’s be honest, that’s a bold goal. We’ll need lots of help to get there, so tell your friends and neighbors. Achieving this goal will allow us to continue hiring contributors, cover school board meetings, and prepare to report on this year’s local elections.
It would be another step toward making this full time. Let’s be real: West St. Paul Reader is a part-time effort. We have one quarter-time employee. We have a few contributors and right now we have an intern. 50 more members won’t make us full time (we’d need to double or triple our current 275 members), but it would be a big step.
Member Drive Rewards
We’ve got several rewards and bonuses for joining our member drive.
- Postcards: We love creating local postcards. They create community pride, support local artists, and who doesn’t love getting mail? Usually we send just one postcard at a time, but for our five-year anniversary, we’ve got five postcards ready to go—including our first series of postcards highlighting historic figures in West St. Paul.
- Local swag: We’ve got anniversary stickers and an exclusive window cling to show your pride for local news. Plus, we’ll throw in some extras.
- Party: We’ll celebrate five years of neighborhood news with a members-only picnic at a local park. Mark your calendar for May 25 and we’ll send more details to members.
Plus there are the usual rewards for becoming a member, including exclusive weekly updates, a local postcard (yes, another one—we love postcards), and a discount to our online store.
Double the Annual Discount
We normally offer a 5% discount for annual support, but just for the member drive we’re upping it to a 10% discount.
More About West St. Paul Reader
Learn more about the work we do:
- Expanded coverage: We added school board coverage thanks to the support of our members.
- Say hello to our intern: Member support allowed us to hire an intern for the first time ever.
- Meet our members: Learn more about the neighbors who make neighborhood news possible.
- Why support local news: Making the case for member-supported neighborhood news.
- Bike events: We sponsor local bike events, including the Bike Rodeo safety event and the upcoming West St. Paul Rider community bike ride.
- First article: Look back at our first-ever article five years later.
- Five years: A look back on five years of neighborhood news.
- Postcards: See our new series of four postcards showcasing a West St. Paul “hall of fame.”
Thanks to our members for making five years of neighborhood news possible.
(Photo by Finley Gustafson)
