Donations to Ark Valley Voice as part of the NewsMatch Giving Challenge reached $3,300 as of Monday. We are only $700 away from the $4,000 number that unlocks the surprise Democracy grant that will double the first $4,000 in donations toward the NewsMatch grant. We are SO close!
A rare moment for relaxation with the AVV crew
As our readers have heard, during this November 15 through December 31 NewsMatch giving campaign — our community donation goal is $15,000. If we can reach that goal from our community, this will unlock the $15,000 NewsMatch grant through the Institute for Nonprofit News.
We hope you’ll join readers who have become members by making a 100 percent tax-deductible donation in any amount to support our efforts.
All donations to AVV go to support our working journalists. We attend meetings. We ask hard questions. We investigate issues that some don’t want to be brought to light. We call attention to these things because they matter to the public.
Since our formation in 2018, our work has had impact:
- This past year with Tara Flanagan as our Water Fellow, we have reported on the growing water crisis in the state and how the Colorado River Basin is connected to the Arkansas River Valley, and the health of our economy;
- AVV investigative reporters were the first news media to report on the sudden formation and rise of the group known as Chaffee Patriots, and the first in the state to highlight these patriot groups, that have links not just to the more right-wing elements of the Republican Party, but the fomenting of private armies such as the Three Percenters, and the Oath Keepers. We continue to track extremist activities across the state.
- As a member of the Colorado News Collaborative and of the Chaffee County Board of Health Forum, Five AVV reporters provided the most comprehensive local coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, attending hundreds of meetings, and contributing first to the statewide COVID Diaries coverage of the state’s pandemic response, then on the ensuing mental health crisis in our On Edge series;
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Members of the AVV crew plan story coverage with Managing Editor Jan Wondra
AVV Managing Editor Jan Wondra conducted the first (and still the only) interview with Dominion Voting Systems VP Dr. Eric Coomer, providing an inside look at the damage of the “Big Lie” on those fulfilling their duty to the Constitution;
- AVV Senior Reporter Dan Smith covered the ongoing issues with the HRRMC boiler that impact the health and safety of patients;
- AVV has continued to report on the threats and inquiry harassment of the Chaffee County Clerk and Recorder office during the 2020 and 2022 elections;
- AVV reporters for Salida, BV, and Chaffee have covered the ongoing debates over workforce housing in Salida, explaining the city building codes and the county land-use code updates in detail;
- AVV investigative reporters were the first news organization in Colorado to report on the appearance of election integrity groups (funded by My Pillow CEO Mike Lindall) that appear to intimidate voters, and label both news organizations and non-Republicans “communists,” while perpetuating the lie that the 2020 election was fraudulent.
- Just this month, AVV will qualify for a democracy grant through the Miami Foundation, awarded for our strong news stance on democracy and election coverage.
We do all this at no charge, while also covering the arts, entertainment, forest health and the danger of wildfires, tourism and recreation, and local events.
As you feast on Thanksgiving turkey, we hope your gratitude extends to AVV. As readers, you know that our work supports democracy because an informed community is an empowered community. If you’ve been on the sidelines, we hope you will become a contributing member to AVV and take your place supporting our democracy. After all — that is a job for all of us.
Follow this link to find out how you can support AVV — and democracy. Thank you.
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