Readers' advisory board celebrates changing of guard

Frontiersman Editorial Board

In recent weeks Frontiersman had put out the call for new members for our readers' advisory board. On Tuesday, we held a meeting at Matanuska-Susitna College to welcome the new board members and to bid a fond farewell to the members of our first advisory board.

The departing members were the first to complete one-year terms on the board. The board consists of 10 people from our reading community, and its purpose is to serve as a tangible link between our staff and the community we serve. It's a great way for us to keep in touch with the needs and concerns of our readers, and it's also a great way for readers to learn about how the newspaper business works, and what our challenges and goals are.

The board was a great success, and we are grateful to the people who gave up their time to share ideas and opinions with us. Many of those ideas found their way into practical use in the pages of Frontiersman and Peak Magazine. The members of that first board were very candid, but their criticism was always constructive. Ultimately, the ideas that come from a board like this have to be positive and solutions-oriented. That's exactly what we got from our first board, and we're very grateful.

As we move into the second year, with a mostly new board, we look to build upon the success we had last year, and we also expect to build bridges across new streams. This new group represents a wide cross-section of the community, and -- judging by the first meeting -- they will be just as dedicated and committed as the first team. The first meeting covered topics ranging from home delivery of the Frontiersman to stories that deal with the topic of sexual abuse of a minor. With this dedicated group bringing tough topics to the table, and our other readers commenting through letters or by telephone, we believe we have a healthy, productive relationship with our community -- and we are committed to putting as many ideas into practice as is feasible, ensuring that the Frontiersman will continue to belong to its readers.

We'd like to take this opportunity to thank the departing members from our first group: Mary Psenak, Mary Kvalheim, Sherry Ruiz, Faye Palin, Carol Lowery, Brenda Jo Henry, Savon Duchein and Patricia Kent.

We'd also like to welcome and thank the new members who are willing to volunteer their time and expertise -- and also to the three members who are remaining: Arvella Thomas, Sammye Pokryfki, Henrietta Nugen, Glenn Massey, Gayle Janecek, Isabelle Rogan, Betsy Woodin, Don Anderson, Daniel Elliott and Konnie Shuey.