HSJ Online Always and Forever

Thirteen years ago, I retired from teaching in the Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corporation. Afterward, Larry Simpson, owner/editor/publisher of the “Hope Star-Journal,” 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 now, I have also had the privilege of being on the team of 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 being within the umbrella of Heritage of Hope, the guiding expertise of Bud Herron, the initial $10,000 matching grant from Tim Andrews, the Town of Hope, the Hawcreek-Flat Rock Area Endowment Fund, businesses sponsoring ads, and many individuals willing to donate year after year.

There are many names on the 2015-2022 Contributor List, which can also be located under “About Us,” and we can't possibly express enough thanks and appreciation. The Community of Hope has been extremely supportive, and we have contributors from outside of Hope, several from other states who feel very connected to Hope and who feel “HSJ Online” keeps them more connected.

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. (Stephanie Shoaf and Terri Young, have now been with the Hope newspaper for a total of 63 years!) We are not sure what exactly it will look like in the future but know there will always be a need for a news source to share the many local stories.

In fact, our team's passion is so strong that we established the HSJ Online Foundation at the end of 2021. The foundation is through Scott Mings of Raymond James. Scott is a former student, a Hauser and Butler graduate, and our HSJ volunteer financial consultant since the very beginning in 2015. He has gained our team's respect and trust through his expertise and generosity. Due to Scott's experiences with other foundations, he helped us develop a solid policy. If wishing to make a donation toward the foundation, please contact one of our team members or Scott at 317-859-6142.

We enter 2023 with our largest budget ever of over $20,000 which is indicative of progress. Our confidence in meeting it is high only because we feel our passion is met by the passion of our readers. It is obvious our community recognizes that a newspaper is one of several Hope cornerstones.

Please remember “HSJ Online” in your 2023 giving plans. And please share with others that Hope still has a prospering newspaper, just in a different format with 1,800 Facebook Likes. (Physical copies of HSJ are in the Hope Library and in WILLow LeaVes.) If wishing to make a donation toward the HSJ General Budget to help meet our yearly budget, please write HSJ Online on your check and mail to:

Stephanie Shoaf

Business Coordinator

HSJ Online

Post Office Box 21

Hope, IN 47246

HSJ Advisory Committee: Jessica Brown, Michael Dean, Bud Herron, Don Hewitt, Pastor Warren Kirk, Scott Strietelmeier, Jennifer Villiger, David Webster, Terri Young, and Howard Zachariah

HSJ Content Coordinator: Jennifer Willhite

HSJ Business Coordinator: Stephanie Shoaf

Heritage of Hope CEO: Jake Miller