Dear Editor,

I want to show my appreciation for the work you do week after week. As a nonprofit paper, you provide a great service to our community. You offer a free paper for everyone, preserving local stories and keeping us connected. The fact that this is done by such a small group at what I can only assume is no pay makes it all the more remarkable. You give your time and energy, simply because you care about this town (not calling it a city) and its people. That level of dedication deserves more recognition than it gets.

It’s disappointing to see the criticism you receive, especially over the decision to turn off comments on political posts. It’s a shame that in a town as small as Manchester, people I know and care about, my gas station regulars, my neighbors, the first people to volunteer to help their neighbors when someone is in need, are so divided over politics. And the way some speak to each other behind a keyboard is even worse. No one should expect a small nonprofit to spend their time moderating the hostility that a handful of the same people, from both sides, repeatedly stir up. If someone feels strongly about an issue, they have plenty of options to share their views: write their own letter to the editor, post on their private page, or share in one of the local groups that allow it. Also, to those people constantly posting, maybe take a minute to think, are you really changing anyone’s mind or are you just wasting your own time getting into a never-ending debate and causing more divide? I won’t say I’m perfect; I’ve had my fair share of heated debates. But it’s unfair to expect this small group to take on the stress of handling those comments just because they’re providing a free public service.

I recently found some of my old clippings from the Manchester Enterprise, and it reminded me how special it is to have a local paper documenting our community’s history. It means so much to know that my child will have the same opportunity through the Manchester Mirror. When my father passed away, Marsha was incredibly kind and quick to help us publish his obituary. During a difficult time, it was a relief not to have to go through the Ann Arbor News, where the cost would have undoubtedly been much higher. Additionally, I was able to get printed copies of the Mirror for free, rather than having to pay several dollars per paper as I would have through the Ann Arbor News. I would hate to see this paper disappear because eventually humans get tired of being called names and criticized.

Please don’t let the negativity wear you down. The vast majority of us see and appreciate the work you do. We are grateful for your time, your effort, and your heart. We hope to see the Manchester Mirror continue on for a long time.

Thank you for everything, Marsha Chartrand, Fritz Swanson, and Sara Swanson.

Sincerely,

Krista Scharpenberg

Views expressed in any Letter to the Editor are always exclusively those of the author. Do you have something you want Manchester to know? Send your Letter to the Editor to themanchestermirror@gmail.com.