Jill's Journal: A humble thank you

As I stood on the stage of the Performing Arts Center last week, looking into the pitch black of where the audience was sitting, my mind was reeling.

“What more can I say about the past four months and all that has transpired since I first pushed the button in late February to launch a GoFundMe campaign in an effort to keep the Brandon Valley Journal rolling off the press?”

I bared my soul in that post. I’ll admit I felt hopeless. Desperate. Defeated. Failure. All the adjectives that I never wanted tagged to my identity. I accepted offers from colleagues in the news media industry – both TV and radio – who asked to tell my story. As much as I wanted to shy away from the publicity, I knew it was important to tell our story. Awareness, above and beyond the countless dollars that were contributed would be key to not only our survival, but possibly for the survival of many community newspapers across South Dakota.

When Degaje Studios came calling to tell my story – this time in an extended video – again, I knew that I couldn’t say no. Dan and Kari Elliott and Abigail and Abe Chen are loaded with talent and have the ability to tell a story with heart and compassion. And that’s exactly what they did.

I’ve watched it a number of times since it was released. It’s not easy to see yourself on the big screen, but again, the message behind the story – and they way Degaje Studios told the story – will forever hold a special place in my heart.

The film, I’m told, will eventually be released on Degaje Studios YouTube page. I humbly encourage you to give it a view.

While I was the first of their Good People Projects, I’m confident that I won’t be the last. This community is filled with “good people” whose stories should be told in this format by this team of storytellers.

Yes, it’s been a whirlwind four months, going from a feeling of hopelessness to one of “I can do this.” And it was all made possible by many of you, the very folks who support the Brandon Valley Journal through subscriptions and advertisements. 

Through this oh-so-humbling hardship, once again, I saw the power of a caring community. While all I really wanted to do was give this community “a happy little newspaper,” you should know that your support tells us that local news matters. 

And I can’t thank you enough.