Recently we were in Cadiz, Spain, and visited the Catedral de Cadiz. The magnificent building sits in a plaza like other European churches, but unlike those houses of worship, to enter we needed to pay six euros. At first, this was a bit disconcerting. None of the other churches we visited in several countries made us pay. But we did, and it was worth the money. It had spectacular art and statues and catacombs down below that we could visit. It also was under renovation. At that moment, we realized why it was important for those who visited to contribute. We were helping to ensure the future of the spectacular cathedral.
I tell you this because Bucket List Community Cafe is also under renovation. And we need your support so it can have a promising future. Not only are you helping us continue to renovate but you are also helping us continue to innovate. Together we are creating something new in community journalism. We are asking you to partner with us to help Bucket List be sustainable. Many of you already contribute and we are grateful. Now we are asking you to make recurring contributions. It doesn’t matter how much: $5, $10, $20, $50, $100 a month. Everyone who makes recurring contributions becomes a partner.
Take Tina Johnson and Hayley Clark-Johnson, for instance. Tina and Hayley, residents of North Denver for 25 years, contribute $20 a month to Bucket List Community Cafe. They do it because they believe what we are doing is important. They appreciate our hyperlocal neighborly news and how we build community by sharing our stories. They like how they get to know their neighbors in our character-driven storytelling and how we mentor the next generation of journalists. Instead of contributing once or twice a year, they give us a boost every month. We can count on Tina and Hayley. They are our partners.
In late November we will be embarking on another fundraising campaign. We want to thank you for all you’ve done to support Bucket List Community Cafe. You are helping us serve the community and offer everyone our social media, website, weekly newsletter, and monthly podcasts for free. No one is excluded from Bucket List Community Cafe. You won’t hit paywalls or go to our site and see subscriber-only content. That’s not how we roll. We are accessible to all the residents of Denver and the surrounding metro. Your contribution also makes it possible for the next generation of storytellers, of all races, genders and abilities, to hone their skills and serve their community before continuing on their journey.
Our perks for partnership are modest. You’ll receive our free refrigerator magnet and a shout-out. You’ll be invited to events and receive perks from local businesses curated by our Engagement Manager, London Lyle. Maybe one day we’ll have a ticket giveaway so you can join her at a Taylor Swift concert. But for now, know you are supporting journalists like London and those of us working to renovate and innovate so we can bring better community journalism to the Denver metro. You will have a stake in your community. Our goal at Bucket List Community Cafe is to partner to scale and we are asking you to be our partners. Make a recurring contribution today or during our fundraising drive in December and let’s build something that lasts together.
