Vermont Independent Media / The Commons 20th Anniversary Celebration

Barry Aleshnick, a founder of The Commons newspaper, used to go to the Keene Sentinel monthly in his funky old veggie-car with a homemade trailer to haul back bundles of Commons, on a hope and a prayer that his vehicle would make it back over the hill. As unlikely as it sounds, The Commons and The Keene Sentinel have been collaborating for 17 years. This weekend, Vermont Independent Media, Inc. (VIM), a Brattleboro-based non-profit media organization hosts a 20th anniversary party on Sunday, Oct. 6 at the Retreat Farm in Brattleboro, to celebrate The Commons impact on the community, as one of the first non-profit newspapers in the United States. Party-goers will enjoy historical displays and copies of the earliest issues of the Commons, historical images, articles, awards, the original vision statement, list of past advertisers, writers and contributors in the first edition, old and new logos, fun facts and more. At the event, Vermont Independent Media will present two special awards. The Community Partner Award will be presented to a business to honor and recognize their commitment and vital role in successful collaboration that brings a community closer together. This year's recipient is Brattleboro Savings & Loan. The second award goes to a community member whose generosity in supporting non-profits and special projects has made a lasting difference. VIM is the publisher of the award-winning independent weekly newspaper, The Commons, in Brattleboro, Vt. which boasts a weekly print circulation of 8,300 and reaches over 20,000 readers. The paper is available free of charge at 260 locations throughout Windham County and online at www.commonsnews.org. The first edition came out on Jan. 26, 2006. It was called The Brattleboro Commons, with front- page stories about international student activism and the hardships faced by the homeless during Vermont winters. The name was changed to The Commons with issue number three. "Our editorial team has been recognized with more than 50 writing and editing awards," says Lynn Barrett, president of the board, VIM/The Commons. "Jeff (Potter) is concerned about fact checking everything so that we have a factual newspaper. He has very high standards and his dedication shows. Without Jeff and our news editor Randy (Holhut) I don't know if the Commons would exist," notes Barrett. Barrett explains that the founders of VIM envisioned an organization that would promote local, independent journalism, create a forum for participation and encourage civic engagement by building media skills. "When I was asked to join VIM back in 2019, the board had nearly all resigned, the paper was frankly close to having to shut down, having been told they were not a business by a local economic development organization. Those few that remained 'weren't gonna have it,'" adds Barrett. "Over the next four years, we built back the board, paid off debts, retained an executive director, added staff, raised salaries, updated technology, created a new website, raised campaign contributions by over 400%, and joined community non-profits including the Brattleboro Chamber of Commerce and DBA, and national organizations like Lion," says Barrett. VIM received grants from The Thomas Thompson Trust so they could re-introduce The Media Mentoring Project and Voices Live. "The support we've received from the Thompson Trust Foundation has played a major role in sustaining these programs, along with sponsorship from Brattleboro Savings & Loan and M&T Bank," adds Barrett. "And, what is so special is that the community came right along with us. Celebrating our 20th anniversary is especially gratifying to all of us who have come together to "keep the presses running," adds Barrett. The Keene Sentinel's printing press has printed 758 issues of the Commons since 2007. When asked about the unique relationship the two newspapers have, Jeff Potter, editor in chief of the Commons says, "The Keene Sentinel has been our printer since 2007 and has printed 758 issues! They are like an arm of our operation. They are so committed to us and our quality and success. They have our back and we have theirs." "They are one of the last family-owned daily papers anywhere. The fact that we are this odd duck and one of the first non-profit newspapers in the country; they fit so well with our mission," says Potter. He continues, "We've had our ups and downs as a thrifty non-profit and they've been very supportive of our success where other businesses would have been looking only at the bottom line. The Sentinel trusts that we're good for it and they've given us the best and they are part of our success." The Keene Sentinel reached founders and board members of The Commons recently so they could comment on this occasion. Here they are in their own words: Barry Aleschnick, circulation director and founder, The Commons Newspapers and quality journalism are critical to a functioning democracy and to the fabric of community. Studies have shown that towns, and town governments, which lose their local print media quickly, lose civic engagement, and often lead to unchecked power. The founding of The Commons was designed to find a way to secure Brattleboro's print media into the future without concern of it being taken over or driven out by other interests, which has occurred in cities and towns throughout the country. We chose the nonprofit model, unique in its time – one of the first in the country to do so. Now embraced as a widespread and viable model of journalism going forward, it further ensured this security, so that it could never be bought or sold on the private marketplace; would be responsible to the community which it serves not to an individual owner or shareholders; would not be subject to the whims of outside control; and profits would go right back into the newspaper where they belong. Brattleboro and Vermont have particularly vibrant and engaged communities, so this region was ripe for acceptance and embrace of a new media outlet of this sort, and that widespread community support has been essential for the success of The Commons. Michael Bosworth, board member and treasurer, The Commons After a highly topsy-turvy 2020, the finances of The Commons, has been stable for the last several years. We have instituted regular cash-flow projections for the board, so that there are no surprises. In our budget-setting process, we have tried hard to have all board and senior staff members understand, co-develop and buy into our financial plans. We have been able to add a few key staffing positions, taking a too-heavy burden off both the core staff and the board itself. We still, however, need to raise our level of sustainability considerably, in both our editorial and operations areas. That must be our focus going forward, so that The Commons can continue carrying on its critical community role for years to come. Dan Dewalt, founder and former board member, The Commons When our highly respected and able editor at the Brattleboro Reformer was fired without explanation, a group of area folks got together to start our own damn paper. We wanted a paper that wouldn't have to tiptoe around particular issues, or tailor news to curry advertisers' favor. I even suggested (to no avail) that our motto be "We'll bite the hand that feeds us." We wanted a paper that cared about the local community. We wanted a paper that would work to give voice to those who live in quiet obscurity or inhabit the margins. After months of brainstorming and study, we still weren't ready to launch the paper. But we launched the paper anyway, trusting that experience would teach us while idealism and determination would see us through. Twenty years later, The Commons is a central player in taking the temperature of the area, giving voice to a diversity of opinions, and keeping us abreast of smaller local events. No one's hand is being bitten; rather a sense of Commons community is being built. ANNIVERSARY PARTY DETAILS: VIM hosts a 20th anniversary party on Sunday, Oct. 6 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at North Barn, Retreat Farm, 45 Farmhouse Square in Brattleboro, Vt. The party will feature light refreshments, an anniversary cake, raffle prizes, a cash bar, performances by local musicians Bard Owl and Peter Siegel and more. The party is free and open to the public. For more information on The Commons, visit www.commonsnews.org. Victoria Chertok is a writer and photographer who covers A&E for The Keene Sentinel and The Commons. She covered A&E for The Brattleboro Reformer from 2017 to 2022. She lives and writes from her home in Southern Vermont. Contact her at VChertok@keenesentinel.com.