Test

Submitted by The Bedford Citizen’s Editorial Board

Bedford is not a big town, but – wow! – do we have a LOT going on.

Maybe you’re trying to stay abreast of all the changes happening in the Bedford Market Place (Marshall’s Plaza), or were concerned about the salt shed proposed for a location adjacent to a residential neighborhood. Perhaps you’re curious about the future of the Coast Guard housing on Pine Hill Road or what will happen to Fawn Lake. Confused about the School Committee’s shift from MCAS to PARC or looking to prepare for Town Meeting? Or maybe you just want to e-mail photos of the Bedford Day Parade to your aunt in Ohio, or find out more about The Bedford Stem Cell Foundation’s relationship with a goat farm on Concord Road.

The Bedford Citizen has provided stories on all of these topics among the nearly 2500 articles published since it began in June of 2012. Plus human interest articles by columnist Dan Brosgol, short stories by Pushkin Prize nominee Stuart Liss, our own On the Horizons calendar (to which you can contribute), interesting photos to complement stories, and links to blogs and relevant websites.

And it’s all brought to you by a small army of volunteers who write, edit, publish, build websites, attend meetings, take photos, aggregate content, and communicate with officials and leaders of local organizations and events. We do it because we believe in informed citizen participation, and want to maintain the rich social and cultural connections that make Bedford such a great place to live and work. We do it reliably, timely, on-line… and for free.

And now we are asking for your financial support.

After nearly three years of publication, we are at a crossroads. We are a lean, volunteer-based organization and seek to stay that way. But a sustainable future is not possible without funding to provide for things like a stipend for a managing editor, more technical support, updated software and an enhanced website. We’d also like to develop an internship for budding journalists.

Your donation is an investment in preserving and enhancing the community that was born here in 1729, when residents were few and people communicated over fences or on the Common. The need for connection and informed citizen participation is no different now than it was then. But this is our time…and the Bedford Citizen is our vehicle: reliable, timely, on-line and free. Consider what The Citizen brings to you. Your donation in any amount will ensure our continuation and expand our capacity to provide you with the information you need to enjoy, and engage in, the life of our town.

You can donate on-line by using the button below, or you can mail your check to The Bedford Citizen, POBox 212, Bedford, MA, 01730.