After publishing my piece on the Sun Day’s tenth anniversary, we received numerous letters (and cards!) from readers wishing us congratulations and continued success, and I wanted to take a moment to say thank you. Your sentiments mean a great deal to me personally and the Sun Day’s staff and contributors, especially during these times. You’re supplying us with the motivation we need to continue our efforts under any circumstance—good or bad. Thank you! I can’t say it any simpler or better, so I’ll say it again: Thank you!
On this note, I would like to highlight one item in particular that caught my attention. Recently I was informed of a Facebook post suggesting others to consider sending monetary donations to the Sun Day to help support us through the economic loss caused by the pandemic. Honestly, this floored me. That anyone of you value the Sun Day so much you’d consider sending us a donation, not to mention suggesting other readers/residents to do the same, is humbling to me on a profound level, and I can’t express my thanks enough. Honestly, I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around it.
However, DON’T.
DO NOT send us money.
The Sun Day is no doubt struggling. We’re struggling worse than any bad year we’ve had in its ten-year history. But we’re managing right now, and for now, I think we have it “handled” (loosely used) without outside contributions. So while I greatly appreciate the sentiment (which I hold in high esteem), continued readership is far more valuable than any amount of money sent.
The best way to help the Sun Day through the pandemic and the resulting economic crisis is to continue to support our advertisers and other local businesses. The positive impact of your contributions this way will be tenfold. If you donate money to only the Sun Day, it only benefits the Sun Day. If you continue to patron our advertisers and other local businesses to the safest extent possible, you’re not only helping them support their staffs and families but you’re also giving them the money they need to advertise with us; therefore, your money IS helping the Sun Day…and dozens of others along the way.
So once again, please continue to support our advertisers and other local businesses. The benefit may not appear as readily evident as social distancing is on the fight against the spread of COVID-19, but supporting our local economy WILL also keep people safe and healthy.
NOTE: If you have, by chance, sent in a monetary donation, the check or cash will be returned.
