Hold my beer …

May 21, 2020 1:30 am
In 1931, Theodore F. Rixon of Sappho was the very first subscriber to a new West End newspaper called the Forks Forum. The cost for a year was $2. Rixon said about the new publication: “Put me down for a year, glad to see a paper in Forks, it’s a fine little city and this will make it better.” This time around, the first subscriber in May 2020 was Nancy Schiedermayer of Beaver. She said: “I am glad to see the Forks Forum back!”
In 1931, Theodore F. Rixon of Sappho was the very first subscriber to a new West End newspaper called the Forks Forum. The cost for a year was $2. Rixon said about the new publication: “Put me down for a year, glad to see a paper in Forks, it’s a fine little city and this will make it better.” This time around, the first subscriber in May 2020 was Nancy Schiedermayer of Beaver. She said: “I am glad to see the Forks Forum back!”

Hold my beer is an expression joked about being said before an unthinking person does something dangerous or stupid. On the internet, hold my beer is used to make fun of decisions (that are seen to be bad) made by public figures or companies.

But for my purposes today I prefer to think of it as “the impossible can be achieved!”

The fact that you are reading this newspaper article is in a way “the impossible achieved” because the West End made their voices heard and the Forks Forum is getting a second chance. But it is not over yet.

My last column on March 26 was really just about my last column …ever. I was pretty sad about it not even having a chance to say goodbye, or even say thanks to all the advertisers that have supported and have made the Forks Forum possible since it has been around and especially since it has been a free publication.

Speaking of advertisers, it has been free to you because those advertisers have paid for the printing, distribution, photos, staff wages, and more since around 1976 when the Forks Forum began going to all West Enders’ mailboxes at no charge.

Over the years we have lost businesses and the operating costs have gone up and been on the backs of fewer and fewer advertisers and now with many businesses closed or with limited hours it had just become unreasonable for fewer and fewer of them to bear the burden.

So, it is a terrible time to ask people to subscribe, but that is what I am doing. If you have subscribed online already, thank you. If you tried and had trouble, which many people did, there is information on page 9 this week about how to do it …the old fashioned way.

I know many people can’t swing $75 for the yearly rate if you prefer you can do 6 months at $37.50, or if you just want to do a certain number of weeks multiply the weeks you desire by $1.44. Thank you for whatever you can do.

(This week Sound also announced subscribers can do 2-years for $100!)

If all goes well the Forks Forum will continue with subscriptions.

Since we have been apart things have still been happening in our community. The Forks Chamber, Forks City Council and a number of other entities have continued to meet via Zoom. District Court II reported yesterday that they will offer a YouTube channel and will be lived streamed.

Events like the Old Fashioned 4th are not happening in the same manner but it is unknown what can and will happen.

To everyone who took the time to call, email, and write in, in support…thanks for holding my beer. But …you may have to hold it a bit longer.

Christi Baron

Editor