Chamber Spotlight: The Manchester Mirror

The Manchester Mirror is partnering with the Manchester Chamber of Commerce to highlight a different Chamber of Commerce member each week. This week we are spotlighting The Manchester Mirror! Visit https://48158.com/ for information on joining the Chamber.

Eight years ago this month, in the waning days of the iconic Manchester Enterprise which had suffered through a series of corporate buyouts, a small group of Manchester residents decided to go rogue, test the waters, and see what we could do about returning the focus to a local newspaper. We created an online news source that updated each Monday, with a goal of “reflecting the community of Manchester.” Five and a half years ago, because of the modest success of the online publication, we created a print edition, which is published every Wednesday (other than the week between Christmas and New Year).

With small towns and small newspapers under threat, our mission is to keep the community together by keeping the community informed. "Rural life and village life are a special way to live, and newspapers are essential to holding that all together," says Fritz Swanson, Co-Founder and Publisher of the The Manchester Mirror. “People need to find the news online, in Facebook, and on their phone. But people also want to read the news on paper when they sit down to lunch or grab something at the grocery store.”

In addition to Fritz, who handles the business end of everything, provides technical wizardry, and acts in an advisory capacity as Publisher, our staff is helmed by Co-Founder and Editor, Sara Swanson, whose firm commitment to the community, to the paper, and to journalism has not only fulfilled the vision of all of we founders, but actually created the space in which the rest of us work. She works with Co-Founder Marsha Chartrand, who handles advertising, writing articles, and copy-editing.

The Mirror is currently in the process of becoming a 501(c)3 non-profit, and in time expects to include even more members of the community. Are you interested in joining us? Email us at themanchestermirror@gmail.com to help us continue to grow!

We chose to join the Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce because, like a newspaper, a Chamber is part of the glue that holds a community together. This group is full of ideas, enthusiasm, and generosity ... but they, too need to continue to grow in order to keep things running smoothly. One larger, cohesive group is better than lots of small, fragmented groups and the Chamber provides an outlet for not only businesses, but organizations and individuals, to help reach the goal of a thriving Manchester. If you're not already a member, please consider joining the MACC. If you used to be part of the Chamber and you've let your membership lapse, take another look. We believe you'll like what you see.

As Fritz said a few years ago, “It’s one thing to want a paper, or to need a paper, but it’s an entirely different thing to make a paper day by day, week by week, article by article, headline by headline.” We are very fortunate to have Marsha and Sara doing that work every week. And so it is with a community. If we want a community, we need to CREATE a community! And the Chamber is providing that role for Manchester. Reach out to manchester48158@gmail.com to join.

During this holiday season, if you'd like to advertise your business or event, please don't hesitate to contact us at themanchestermirrorads@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you. 

For as little as $1 a month, you can keep Manchester-focused news coverage alive.

by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.