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Thirteen years ago, I retired from teaching in the Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corporation. Afterward, Larry Simpson, the last Hope Star-Journal owner/editor/publisher, asked if I would be willing to write articles. I agreed but had no plans to still be writing thirteen years later.

But circumstances change all our plans at times. For nine years, soon to be ten, I have had the privilege of being part of a great team for one of the best small-town, not-for-profit, and free reading digital newspapers, HSJ Online (hsjonline.org). It is one of the many amazing stories in Hope and would not be possible without the initial $10,000 matching grant from Tim Andrews, as well as the Town of Hope, the Hawcreek-Flat Rock Area Endowment Fund, several businesses sponsoring ads and many individuals contributing toward the HSJ General Operating Fund. And the Strietelmeier family certainly deserves a shout out due to their support with the Strietelmeier Corn Dog and Pineapple Whip Stands.

We are well aware of how smaller communities, even larger communities, are losing newspapers. Recently, there was an excellent article on HSJ written by Lee Hamilton on the subject expressing rightful concerns. There are about 6,000 newspapers in America today according to a report from Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications with that number decreasing every day, a dismal report considering there are more than 19,500 incorporated cities, towns, and villages in the United States. (Of course, the number would be much higher if including unincorporated.) Our team's passion for our community to always have a media source and with local leadership, as we have had for over 150 years, is very strong. We don't know what HSJ Online will look like in the future, just like we do not know what the Town of Hope will look like, but we do know there should always be a media source in Hope, that pages should continue to turn just like the pages of our eventful and surprising small town.

We are hopeful and confident in the continuation of each due to the countless support of caring and generous people of Hope and surrounding communities. In a conversation with a wonderful friend of mine who I first met at Indiana State University, Jeff Rudy, I was praising Hope. Jeff was in journalism for several years and stated, “David, your community and your newspaper are priceless, and it is obvious people are proud that their shoes and boots have walked the grounds of Hope.”

Recently, we had around 70 people to attend our HSJ Benefit at WILLow LeaVes, which featured Bud Herron sharing his musical talents. (Bud's expertise and connections in the newspaper business helped immensely in our beginning in 2015.) The evening resulted in $3,735 for our yearly budget of $20,000 with donations still coming in. If missing and wishing to make a donation, please write HSJ Online on your check and mail to Stephanie Shoaf; HSJ Online; Post Office Box 21; Hope, IN 47246. (Stephanie, like Terri Young, are very much appreciated for all the years they have served our community through our newspaper, a total of 64 years combined!)

In 2020, we created the HSJ Foundation through Scott Mings of Raymond James. Heritage of Hope, which we have been within their umbrella since the beginning, graciously gave us a good start with $10,000. Scott is a former student, a Hauser and Butler graduate, and has been our volunteer HSJ financial consultant since the very beginning. Eight individuals have kindly contributed $500 or more toward it, money that will always be working 24/7 with stock market history suggesting significant gains over time. The principal, now at $39,000, will always stay intact! If wishing to contribute to the HSJ Foundation, then please feel free to contact Scott at 317-859-6142 or any of our team members.

When reading and sharing with others about our local newspaper being online, as well as informing others about physical copies being available at the Hope Library and WILLow LeaVes, it is of tremendous help. (We can't thank the Hope Library staff enough for this important service.)

Like all the not-for-profit organizations in Hope, our HSJ team is extremely thankful for the support. And like Jeff Rudy, we think it is priceless!

Michael Dean, Jessica Deckard, Bud Herron, Don Hewitt (President), Pastor Warren Kirk, Scott Strietelmeier, Jennifer Villiger, David Webster (Vice President), Terri Young, Howard Zachariah, Jenn Willhite (Content Coordinator), Stephanie Shoaf (Business Coordinator)