Thank you Puslinch Pioneer Volunteers!

Thank you to our volunteers

For 45 years, volunteers in Puslinch have proudly donated their time and expertise to publishing the Puslinch Pioneer, which has become the well-respected source of information to residents of Puslinch.

When the paper first started back in 1975, there were no fancy software programs, and the paper was typed, cut and pasted onto sheets of paper and then sent to the printers.   A team of volunteers would collate the paper and then fold it so it could be sent out through the post office to over 3,500 households in the Puslinch community.

Back then if you attended collating day, you’d find a bustle of activity.  It was quite the production. Everyone had their role and their pages.  The tables were raised, so they could sit and fold the paper once it was collated.

Today, that paper is now 28- 32 pages, printed in colour, glossy paper, stapled and published 10 months of the year.  Often an advertising flyer would be inserted for a local business. Since COVID however, we have had the paper collated and folded at the printers, as we didn’t want to put our collating volunteers at risk.

But we still rely heavily on volunteers – to submit articles, edit and do the layout, distribute the paper and recruit advertisers.  Without the advertisers, there would be no paper.  Residents tell us that they read the paper from cover to cover, and keep them so if they need a service, they can find the local supplier easily.

We also draw on the expertise of local residents who write regular columns for us –  our thanks to Marjorie Clark, Kim Hussey, Barbara Paterson, Marion Robertson, Mary Tivy and members of Master Gardeners in Guelph as well as the monthly submissions from the Library and Fire Department and Council Clips.

Our focus is on local news – both Puslinch and surrounding areas.   We love to highlight the accomplishments of one of our residents and promote local events and fundraisers as much as we can.   And we have a community section at the back that lists church services and community announcements.

The board of the Pioneer meets monthly to oversee the running of the organization – and our thanks to Barbara Bulmer, Barbara Chillingsworth, Dianne Churcher, Karen Harding, Genny Ribalko and Stella O’Krafka for their tireless efforts in making sure the paper comes out each month. 

Our thanks also to Megan Barnes for setting up and maintaining our website – www.puslinchpioneer.ca and to Ampersand for printing the paper and going the extra mile during the pandemic to make sure the paper got out.

And we are always looking for volunteers – to submit articles, be a roving reporter, to help with digital marketing and advertising sales.   To find out more, please email [email protected] or phone 519 767 9383.

Thank you to all our volunteers, past and present, we couldn’t have done it without you.

Anne Day