Another sign of a new era

You will see in the pages of this newspaper, or online (click here for more), a listing of events from The Lakeville Journal unlike any you have seen before. That is because this company is now owned by The Lakeville Journal Foundation, a nonprofit organization. And we now have a very active and committed Foundation board, which has developed a series of fundraising events to support local news and to celebrate the 125th anniversary of The Lakeville Journal.

Back in August of 1897, when this newspaper first published, it would have been unimaginable to those, like Publisher Col Card and Editor Irving J. Keyes, who began it that not only would it still be around in 125 years serving the Northwest Corner and the surrounding towns, but that it would be both in print and have an active website accessible to readers from all over the country and the world.

And how could they have known that local news would have become at such high risk of disappearing? In their time, the newspaper included national as well as local news, in that access to the wider world was not quite as available as it is today. To say the least.

This newspaper was then serving a thriving farming and industrial community. If you read Norma Bosworth’s weekly column, Turning Back the Pages, and read the “100 years ago” section, you will have a good idea of the kind of news covered by The Lakeville Journal then.

While the communities have changed in the 125 years of this news organization’s existence, the needs of those who live here have been more consistent than one might first think. Employment, housing, good schools, a helping hand from one’s neighbor when it’s needed, are all just as key to rural life now as they were then.

The needs of part-time and full-time residents are also more aligned now than might seem obvious at first glance. Access to good medical care, good food and a wide range of services, from cleaning and yard work to auto mechanics and repairs of all kinds, are basic needs in common.

The Lakeville Journal is very glad to still be here, to be able to serve our communities in the northwest Connecticut hills. And as noted in this space before, we are only here because of the ongoing support of our readers, who contributed to keep us going before we were nonprofit, and are continuing to do that now that we are. If you missed the Donor Listing that printed in the paper this month, please do go back on the website and take a look to see who has helped keep us going.

We have so much gratitude for the support from our readers and for the hard work of our board of directors who are running the events listed this week to commemorate the anniversary of local news in this region. Please take a look at the list of possibilities and plan to take part in the events that look interesting to you.

They celebrate the history and lives of all those who reside in the communities covered by The Lakeville Journal. Whether new to the area, or a longtime or lifelong resident, these events should enrich your knowledge of the Northwest Corner. That is our goal every week: to tell you something you didn’t know before about your town or a neighboring one.

Thank you for reading the Journal, and for supporting local journalism.