Letter to the Editor – An Essential Service at Risk

Dear Brenda,

I was dismayed to read your notice of impending closure, and relieved to read a few hours later that you had received some advertising to allow you to keep alive for another month. I would like for you to share my thoughts with your readers.

Thank you

———————-

To the Readers of Wawa News

Our lives have changed, community businesses are at risk, and normal everyday communication is completely altered. In the current time many are struggling, especially small business. It is precisely local business that identifies the unique draw, beauty, and character of Wawa. The circumstances have brought us to losing what I consider an essential service.

That character is what keeps thousands checking into to Wawa News daily. Simple communication about what is taking place is shared across the country, or further, with people that have had a relationship with the community and/or the residents. When you read an article, the number of people that have read it is posted on the page. I became curious about the actual numbers for a week were, and asked for the information. The first week of June the average per day of unique visits were 2,825, the average per day first time visits were 2,041, and the average per day returning visits were 784. That kind of traffic each and every day, and we risk losing this valued source of information and communications tool.

The inability of businesses to afford advertising currently has had a dramatic effect on Wawa News and likely other media as well. It is hard to spend hours a day on a business that does not support you financially when you need to make a living to support yourself. It does not make sense, which is why you would have to look for other avenues of income.

I believe that if a means of interim support could be realized, it would be worthwhile for Brenda to keep it running. I can’t imagine not having access to local information. No news, weather, council agendas and meetings, awesome photography, information and coverage of events, local press releases to keep us informed about events that impact us directly, and so much more.

There are many of us that rely on Wawa News exclusively, and many more that are able to maintain a relationship with Wawa through being able to access Wawa News.

I have been approached by others that feel the same way and some possibilities that I have heard are:

• An annual fee of $12 based on $1/month
• A go-fund-me to gather donations to maintain this resource though COVID-19.

I am hoping that others feel the same. If you have a suggestion, please share it.

Thank you

Holly Hughes

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This Media Release

This is a media release by the organization. If you would like to send Wawa-news.com a media release to be published, send it to Brenda Stockton, Editor/Publisher, [email protected]

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