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Out in the Mounta

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VERMONT'S NEWSPAPVER FOR BISEXUALS, LESBIANS AND GAY MEN

  

 

Volume V, Number 1

Out in the Mountains, contrary to its
name, may have been down but it’s cer-
tainly not out, at leastnot in that sense of the
word. An outpouring of help and support
from 0ITM’s readership has resurrected
the paper and saved it from the point of
collapse.

A lack of volunteers and burnout
among the core members of the collective
had put 01 TM on hold and drawn dire wam-
ings that the last issue was just that - the last
issue. However, a meeting on February
17th to determine the future of 01 TM drew
nearly 45 people from across the state to the
Fletcher Free Library in Burlington and
showed that OIT M must continue to fill a
need among the gay, lesbian, and bisexual
population in Vermont (especially those
living in remote areas) to receive news on
local and national events as well as listings
of resources and connections.

Among the ideas the group came up
with for the long-terrn survival of OIT M
was the hiring of a part-time coordinator
paid for by a number of grants. The duties
of the coordinator would include serving as
a liaison to the community as a whole,
doing office tasks such as responding to
mail, and organizing the volunteers in their

As OITM rises Phoenix-like from the
hot ashes of spectacular bum-out, we’d like
to thank those people who helped make the
first four years possible, especially those
people who pushed themselves to and
beyond the point of bum-out in order to
make sure that the paper survived. We're
indebted eternally.

Though the paper you now hold is but
four pages long, we felt it best to get the
word OUT that the paper is NOT folding,
and that it will return in bigger and better
shape as time goes on in response to the fact

March 1990

respective duties as they get the paper out.

It was also decided that the paper
needed to branch out more to other parts of
the state as a means of preventing future
burnout among collective members. Ideas
to harness such energy included the estab-
lishment of satellite groups around the
state, movement of the paper from commu-
nity to community, or the use of existing
local organizations such as college groups
for support.

Following discussion on the above is-
sues, the group broke up into three commit-
tees: financial, structural, and publishing.

The financial group discussed the pres-
ent fiscal state of 017‘ M as well as future
potential sources of income. In particular,
they addressed means by which the paper
might hire acoordinator. Plans for an 01 TM
fund-raising party may soon be on the
drawing board to supplement the paper’s
income.

The publishing group drew up a list of
ideas as to the content, format, and overall
look of OITM. Suggestions included
switching to newsprint in order to include
more articles and advertising per issue,
working out a satellite system around the
state to get more local and regional Ver-

that gay, lesbian, and bisexual activities
everywhere in Vemiont are still thriving.

Though there was no room or time to
include ads in this issue, we’d like to ex-
press our heartfelt thanks to all those busi-
nesses and individuals who have advertised
in OH M and kept the paper alive finan-
cially. We will resume regular advertising
in the mid-April issue. We hope that our
readers will express their personal thanks to
all of our present and previous advertisers
by supporting their businesses and letting
them know that saw them in 0IT M .

OITM Alive and Kicking

mont news, and making OITM a news
monthly with a larger, quarterly features
supplement. One immediate change en-
acted was the acknowledgement of bisexu-
als in the paper’s readership; check out the
new wording at the top of the page.

The internal structure group discussed
the possible duties of the coordinator and
volunteers in terms of making the paper run
more efficiently.

More planning and input are still
needed on all of the above issues to deter-
mine how OITM will continue to function
as a viable source of information to our con-
stituents. An additional meeting has been
scheduled for Saturday, March 10, 1990, at
the Burlington Fletcher Free Library in the
Pickering Room from 1-4:00 p.m. to work
further on these ideas. Everyone is encour-
aged to attend, even if you could not make
it to the first meeting (we won’t even ask
what your excuse was).

Out in the Mountains needs to hear
from you, our supporters, about how the
paper can continue to serve the best inter-
ests of Verrnont’s gay, lesbian, and bisex-

' ual population.

Phoenix From the Flame

Thanks also to those who continued to
express faith in the paper and subscribed
even when it looked like a year’s’subscrip-
tion would amount to only one issue. Don’t
worry - there are more on the way. Take
note, all ye who have yet to subscribe, and
send that form in with your check today.

Finally, thanks to all of you taking the
time right now to read these words. Even
more thanks to those of you who took the
time to let us read your words in articles and
letters. Ifeep them coming, and we'll keep
OIT M coming out to you.

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