Editorials

Commentary: We need your help

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By Gary P. Custer

Tuesday, November 29, -0001

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In the past three years we have run major stories on the Genesee Juvenile Detention Center, UM-Flint housing, the Genesee County Free Medical Clinic, first aid for pets classes, Flint School of Performing Arts, Project Independence, Planned Parenthood, Flint Institute of Arts renovations, MCC Steelheads, Whaley House, Hispanic Technology Center, Citizens Nuisance Task Force, the Judge Bruce A. Newman Legal Information Center, the Community Dispute Resolution Center, Genesee County Habitat for Humanity, the School Playground Task Force, Flint Urban Gardening and Land Use Committee, YWCA domestic violence programs, Urban Gardens, the Resource Center, the Humane Society, the Neighborhood Violence Prevention Collaborative and the Flint Photovoice Project.

We are the only group to regularly cover the Flint Planning Commission, Flint Historic District Commission and the Flint Zoning Board of Appeals — the most important groups in determining the viability of neighborhoods in Flint because they say what can and cannot be in neighborhoods.

We are the only group to cover neighborhood groups — the groups that deal with the most basic neighborhood problems. We give a voice to the people in the neighborhoods while they attempt to solve the specific problems that make Flint a better place in which to live. Our coverage encourages people to get involved in solving neighborhood problems. It shows them that their involvement is important.

Our monthly column, "Good books, old friends" provides a look at books, primarily books written for children, but occasionally other types of books that may be overlooked by the average reader.

Our photography, our most popular element, has created a valuable 2,500 image record of our city that has helped our readers to see their surroundings in new ways.

Our "Events, meetings, exhibits planned" column provides our readers information about things that make life worth living with priority given to events and exhibits held by formal and informal non-profit organizations who often would get little or no mention in the press.

The magazine is now complemented by our web site, www.eastvillagemagazine.com.

The web site is not merely some self-serving information about our organization.

It contains both stories we have run in the magazine and the stories we did not have room to run in the magazine — before they are in the magazine. We also have archives containing the stories we have run in the past 10 years now and we will eventually have all we have run in the past 28 years.

We have links to public officials, local community and neighborhood organizations and educational institutions, with their addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses.

We also have about 300 of our photographs that you can print out to hang on your wall or use in your non-profit publication or on your web site. Each week, we are adding about 50 of the more than 2,500 pictures that have run in the magazine in the past 28 years.

We also have a page where you can submit your opinions, potential stories or general comments.

We perform these valuable services in the magazine and on the web site for 16,000 to 20,000 Flint readers of the magazine and a growing number of people on our web site with an all-volunteer staff of about 75.

Since we began in 1976 we have been a bare-bones operation. Our entire income has gone to pay the actual expenses of the publication and web site.

Although we are an IRS 501(c)(3) organization, we do not have the traditional administrative costs of other non-profit organizations. Almost everything we get (staff time, computers, office equipment, office furniture, office space, office utilities, office maintenance, etc.) is contributed to us.

Last year we were lucky enough to get a grant to temporarily replace the money provided by a longtime contributor who died in 2002 and to fund the start up of the web page. That grant is running out.

In the past year the costs have risen. Printing costs alone have increased $200 an issue this year.

It is up to you whether we are to continue.

Many of you take us for granted. We have been around for 28 years so you figure that we will be around forever — without your support. That is not true.

Is the East Village Magazine worth the price of one meal out a year for your family? A book, video tape, CD or DVD? A case of beer or a bottle of wine? A can of tennis balls? A pair of jeans? A night at the movies?

We are a unique organization that needs your support to continue serving you.

We hope you will make a generous contribution.

G.P.C.

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