By Adrian Garson
Did you just start singing the theme song from the 80s/90s sitcom “The Golden Girls?”
If not, I bet you are now. Oh, how I loved that show. I grew up watching those four silver-haired ladies go through one life adventure after another and it really made me excited to grow older. I still watch it to this day and laugh out loud at least twice an episode. What I loved most about that show was the friendship those retired roommates shared. Three of them were widowed and one of them was a divorcee who still had to deal with her toupee-wearing ex-husband. I can’t be certain but part of me believes that my love of newspapers was born from that show because they often placed personal ads and phony funeral announcements in their local Miami-based publication. Either way, the show gave me a chuckle and still does to this day but the theme song was quite possibly the best part.
I do have a point to this, and it’s not about silver-haired ladies with impeccable fashion sense living in Miami back in the late 1980s. I want to say thank you all for being a friend, truly.
We launched our Voluntary Pay Program nearly four weeks ago and I was, honestly, quite hesitant about it. I know the state of our local economy and the struggles that families are dealing with in this moment. This year has been hard and that’s an understatement. So, when I decided to launch our VPP, I did so with some trepidation. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect as far as the response we might receive from the community.
To say I’ve been humbled is an understatement. Between the letters we’ve received along with the many donations from loyal readers like you, I’ve never felt so honored to be a part of such an incredible community. I’ve read the notes that you all have sent many times over. I’ve saved them all. Some of them made me tear up and others gave me much needed laugh. Thank you for taking the time to write, it really means more than you know. For those of you who took the time to write a check or contribute online, and for those of you who are still considering doing so, I don’t know how to thank you enough.
We will be closing out our official Voluntary Pay Program at the end of the week, but don’t let that stop you from continuing to write us letters. We really enjoy hearing from you. If you’re still considering making a contribution, you have time to do so by visiting the link below or mailing us a check.
Lastly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for being our friend. We couldn’t produce these papers week after week without readers like you.
Want to help?
Support the newspaper by visiting www.cmgweekly.com/donation to make a contribution.