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U T IN THE-MOUNTAIN 8

Volume XVI, Number 12 January 2002 V

  

www.mountainpridemedia.org

HAPPY FERST Bi[RiTHl)AY OITM!

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by ‘AL: ( '

— V Jigs February 1989 and that means
‘OlTM is beginning our fourth year of

publication and our third annual fundrais-

ing drive. As in any small business at this

age, we are expanding rapidly and suffer-

ing growing pains.We have ambitious

dreams and hopes for the future. Vermont
may seem to be a small and rural state but
there is much here to cover.

Wewould like to be able to print news
from every group of lesbians and gay men
meeting in Vermont, many of whom are
doing some wonderful things. We would
like to have done more analysis of the local
elections from a gay and lesbian perspec-
tive (as at least one reader suggested).
We'd like to see Out in the Mountains
distributed to every rural comer of this

Site. Our dreams go on and on. When we
_step back and take an accounting of what
(these dozen or so volunteers manage to
produce, it’s wonderful but we’d like it to
be more.

This past year we took some major

V steps to help make that happen, difficult

steps. OITM began as a consensus organi-
zation, and with much struggle at times, we
have remained largely true to that begin-
ning. This year we divided ourselves into
two groups, long-range and short-range
planning.

After nearly six months of meetings, it
is not clear whose task was easier or when
either group’s work will be done. Short-
range planning means frequent crises in
getting the paper out-on time every month.
The group faces constant /challenges, the
most obstinate being the lack of ready ac-
cess to facilities for typing and layout. This
means long hours and marathon weekend
sessions for the brave group who bring you
the finished product month after month.

The long range planning group wrote a
grant to try to buy ourselves out of this
predicament with desktop publishing com-
puter equipment. This group put into writ-
ing why this paper is important to Vennont,

     Happy Third Birthday oITMt

and why the equipment is essential to our
long-terrn success. The Ben and Jerry's
Foundation expressed their welcome sup-
port with a $1000 donation, for which we
are very grateful. Unfortunately we need
over $10,000 and plan to continue submit-
ting applications to other foundations.

In the meantime, we come to you, our
loyal readers. You know why it is impor-
tant that OITM continue to print. You
understand that we reach out to a Vermont
community that is not served by any other
paper. No other paper in the state will tell
you how to do business with fellow gay and
lesbian Vermonters. We need your help.

We would love to have additional
reporters and photographers to call upon.
Don’t be intimidated by the titles. None of
us are professional newspaper people. All
of us have other jobs, and manage to find
time to give to the paper.

We need you. Come to our meetings
and brainstonn ideas for articles, help get

(Continued on page 3)

 B-Dayfrompage I _ . r » ,.
new ads or chase down a lastminute article.
Maybe you’d like to learn desktop publish-
ing (we'll train you) and work on layout. If
you’ve got some time, we've got a job for
you (did you ever wonder who licks all
those stamps on the plain manilla enve-
lopes?).

And another very important way you
can help: February is the kick-off month for
OITM’s annual fundraising drive. Money
helps get this paper out each month. Money
buys the stamps, envelopes, computer
disks. Money pays the printer and post
office for our box. Please give what you
can to help us continue improving. Thanks,
you make all the effort worthwhile.

All donations can be made payable to
OITM, Box 177, Burlington, VT 05402.

  
 

 j
C

ears ol
Happy
Birthday
OITM!