Does ANYONE remember when The Contributor changed its format from a newspaper to a sleek glossy magazine?
It was perceived at the time by those in charge as a positive change, and they had the power to make it happen, vendors thoughts and opinions WERE NOT taken into account. Thankfully this disastrous experiment only lasted seven months (13 issues.)
Finally, the realization became crystal clear to EVERYONE that this WAS NOT what the vendors or the customers wanted at all! Something they would’ve known IF they would’ve asked and listened to vendors when we tried to speak out. Instead they shut us down, threatening to take the badges we worked so hard to earn if we didn’t acquiesce.
The solution? After the voluntary resignation of the former Contributor board, a team of former employees and volunteers stepped in. Cathy Jennings, in her wisdom, put together a team and they revived The Contributor in newspaper format, and in spite of Covid-19, it managed to survive when SO many others failed, it’s even continue to thrive thus far.
After courageously taking on the challenge and serving The Contributor’s Executive Director for just over 5 years, not only reviving it, but expanding the scope of services it offers its vendors, suddenly, without warning (at least to the vendors), Jennings made an announcement that she had decided to step away from her role.
Once again, it seems The Contributor is on the verge of what could be perceived as potentially major changes.
To his credit, the newly appointed Executive Director Will Connelly was a part of The Contributor from the beginning as one of the papers co-founders, and I’m sure he brings a vast array of talent and skill to the table.
Still adding to that nagging feeling that just won’t go away, is the fact that Tom Wills Contributor co-founder and longtime Director of Vending has also recently taken a step back from his role. This too was without any warning to the vendors.
Chelsea Jackson, former office manager, has been tapped to fill this role. I have the upmost respect for her, and know her to be quite capable, but it’s just NOT the same.
Sudden, unexpected changes like these can have an effect on the paper in both positive and/or negative ways.
So just how will these latest changes affect the day-to-day operations of the paper? Its content? Will other members of the staff and volunteers shift their positions, or worse yet, leave altogether?
There is no way to know for sure, unless or until it happens.
It does make me wonder what other changes are yet in store in the future for The Contributor that the vendors and customers are not yet aware of.
I know some people say change is good, and hey, I get it, change can teach us to adapt, and helps us develop resilience. Change can also provide new opportunities we might not have found for ourselves. It offers individuals a chance for personal growth and development.
However, for people like me who hate, despise, even fear change it can and often does upset a very delicate balance in the way my mind and my world works.
And at least for me, it brings to mind that very familiar uneasy feeling that I can’t seem to shake, similar to when the paper was temporarily converted to a magazine.
At this point, I would like to remind those in a position of power with the ability to make sweeping changes that when it happened in the past we lost what made The Contributor special! It lost the people who gave it a HEART and as a direct result, it subsequently failed.
As a writer and vendor for this publication who takes pride in the product I offer to the public, I say talk to the vendors get their thoughts and opinions BEFORE making ANY major changes that could potentially affect their livelihood, then make changes accordingly, improve the product if you can, but DON’T lose what makes it SPECIAL otherwise it too will be doomed to fail, just as the magazine did in the past. Thank you for your time.