Just another good reason to support a newspaper

Feed Our Rural Kids Inc. (FORK) has presented its first Crimson FORK?award to the Vilas County News-Review, recognizing the newspaper and its staff for “ongoing support of local efforts to mitigate the challenge of childhood food insecurity.”

That is one of the most important honors this newspaper has ever received, for unlike the state and national newspaper associations that often honor us, this award comes from a local nonprofit organization that’s doing big things to help children and their families succeed.

“It is unanimously clear to our board of directors that FORK would not be where it is today without the support of the Vilas County News-Review,” said Scott Foster, vice president of FORK and the administrator of the Northland Pines School District.

While honored to be recognized and proud of the work the News-Review staff has done to help tell the FORK?story to our readers the past year, it’s important that we thank those who enabled our efforts.

Without the loyal readers who purchase subscriptions and newspapers from newsstands, and the advertisers who promote their products and services in our publications, we would not be positioned to help FORK, other nonprofit organizations and any noble cause in area communities.

To be clear, it is the advertisers who choose to support the News-Review, the North Woods Trader, Action Tracks, Vacation Week and all our publications who truly make the difference in what makes a community newspaper great. We take very seriously that so many people are willing to invest in our work.

In this era of tight budgets and methodical record-keeping to ensure a return on investment from advertising, we hope area business owners know that a newspaper can make a huge difference in promoting and representing the fabric of a community.

Though not every newspaper staff has the talent, dedication and community support that bases our award-winning work, you can all take a bow — for a great newspaper is merely a reflection of a great community.

FORK is a prime example of the selfless, caring, compassionate people who populate Vilas and northeastern Oneida counties, our primary circulation area. They not only identified a crucial issue that impacts the health, education and overall success of area children, but they worked hard to find effective solutions.

We recognized the value of their organization from the beginning and vowed to help wherever we could. We did it because we believed in their cause and trusted that these community leaders, including FORK President Perry Pokrandt, would work tirelessly to succeed, and they have.

Most important, they are helping more than 200 children who are challenged by hunger. Many aren’t getting the wholesome foods and nutrition their bodies need to support normal growth and development.