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We’re all in this together.
In our lifetimes, this adage has never been more true. How we act as individuals can have life or death consequences for us all. Wash your hands, don’t touch your face, and keep 6 feet away from each other — even while walking the dog, picking up takeout, or standing in line at the grocery store. It could save a life — or many. Although it’s the health concerns of this pandemic that keep us awake at night (we each have family members with serious health conditions), the economic fallout is casting a dark shadow of its own. Small businesses all over are struggling and many won’t survive. The same holds true for arts venues and nonprofits. When marquees go dark, the community grows dim. When organizations that help those in need aren’t there to respond, the safety net begins to sag.
At The Coastal Star our advertising revenue for this edition dropped by more than 50% — and April should have been one of our most profitable editions, one that would help us make it through the lean times of summer. We expect the next few months will be even more severe.
All local businesses count on the abundance of the season to make it through the off-season. Consider the restaurants, family-run hotels, dry cleaners, salons and personal service providers. We are all searching out the fine print in the recovery act to see if there is a lifeline available to keep us operating. At press time it was too soon to tell.
In the meantime, we’re asking our coastal neighbors to assist their favorite local businesses (including this newspaper) by purchasing advertising until the pandemic subsides.
Here is how you can help
Support the advertisers you see in this edition. They are our neighbors and business partners. Thank them for supporting The Coastal Star through this economic downturn. Purchase advertising space for your favorite local businesses suffering during this difficult time. Help them keep their messages in front of the coastal community. Support local arts organizations or nonprofits by underwriting advertising that helps relay their messages as they reschedule and adapt to meet the perilous conditions. Purchase advertising space in memory of a loved one or to celebrate some family, club, school or neighborhood event.
Or simply purchase advertising space to show your support of community journalism. We’ll donate our design time to create these ads, if you’ll underwrite the ad space.
With your support we can make it through the next few months — together.
Sincerely,
Mary Kate Leming, Executive Editor
Jerry Lower, Publisher
Chris Bellard, Advertising Director
Comments
I run a small Landscape Company and most of my business is in eastern Palm Beach County. I have landscaped for Price Patton and have even done work at Jerry's home, a long time ago. Price said I should run an advertisement awhile back when I told him how much I liked your newspaper. Well, General Landscaping Corp is proud of the fact that all our business for the past 30 years has been word of mouth so I never pulled the trigger to sign up for an advertisement. After reading this months letter from the editor I realize that it is a two way street. The Coastal Star needs my advertising money so that they can continue to give us the happenings of our neighborhood. In these changing times, my company needs the Coastal Star to let the public know that General Landscaping Corp is open and ready to take on landscape projects.