If you’ve helped produce a newspaper or newsletter, you know that getting the final product to the printer takes many hours of painstaking detail work. That’s true of the BWNA newsletter. While volunteer reporters and other contributors get bylines, much of the newsletter work is done by folks who don’t typically get the spotlight—or want it—but we persisted.
Layout and graphic design to make articles easy to find and follow requires knowhow in graphic design and a sophisticated design program, a careful eye, a steady hand, and the ability to keep your cool when the editor asks for yet another last-minute change.
Copy editing requires attention to the smallest of details: should there be an ellipse—or em dash—here? Should the president’s title be capitalized if it comes after his or her name? Are commas necessary or not? A good copy editor points out all the little things the editor missed. Oops.
Advertisers keep our newsletter coming. So billing, receiving, tracking payments, and sometimes even collections fall to the advertising coordinator. In that role, regular communication with the editor and graphic designer is critical. Is there a “hole” to fill? Is there room for another advertiser who wants in? The ad coordinator keeps team members in the loop.
Here are the people who do this work to make this newsletter possible.
JANE FEINBERG: Layout/Graphic Design
Jane Feinberg has been in this volunteer role for almost five years. She’s lived in B-W on NE 38th for more than 50 years—the first 20 years on Stanton, and the last 30+ years on Skidmore.
As a production manager for a geotechnical consulting firm, Jane learned to use design software and perform layout, making her a great fit for this volunteer post. Inspired to join the newsletter team to help by using her skills, there’s fun in it, too.
“I enjoy collaborating with and learning from the other talented volunteers,” Jane said. “I also enjoy the camaraderie with the team.”
By her estimate, Jane puts in an average of 10 to 12 hours per month on her volunteer job, including meetings, emails, correspondence with advertisers, and newsletter crunch time.
In her spare time Jane knits and plays “real” mahjongg, “not the tile-matching game played on the computer,” she clarified. Newsletter team members also know she’s an avid cook—her homemade marshmallows are a favorite of the editor’s! Look for this recipe in a future newsletter.
KARLA LENOX: Advertising Coordinator
Karla Lenox moved to B-W in 2008 and was elected BWNA Treasurer in 2013. Armed with a college major in accounting, work as a CPA, 11 years in public accounting, and 26 years as a financial reporting supervisor for Metro, Karla and her skills were welcomed by the BWNA board.
The ad coordinator work, while naturally aligned, is on top of her treasurer duties. Karla spends a total of about 20 hours per month on the entirety of her volunteer commitment. About three of those hours are dedicated to the ad coordination role, not including newsletter team meetings and emails.
Karla stepped forward to take on this significant volunteer responsibility because to her, accounting isn’t difficult.
“That,” Karla said, “and the meetings took place a block from my house, and I thought it would be good to serve the neighborhood.”
For fun and to stay healthy Karla hikes, camps, attends yoga and other fitness classes, walks, and skis. Other less strenuous pursuits include traveling, visiting friends, and giving blood. She calls herself an “avid blood donor.” “I guess maybe it’s another hobby,” Karla said.
MYRNA SHEIE: Copy Editor
Myrna Sheie has called B-W home for 11 years and has been the volunteer copy editor of the BWNA newsletter for well over half that time.
With an English major, experience teaching English to 8th graders, and executive positions for a large church body that required a great deal of document editing, she has what it takes for this important role. As a teacher Myrna realized how much grammar, spelling, punctuation, and good writing mattered to her.
“My students would ask why they had to learn ‘this stuff,’ and I would tell them ‘Because I want you to be able to use language to make sense and be understood.’” Today, Myrna continues to do just that for our newsletter writers.
Now retired, Myrna spends about two to four hours per newsletter edition copy editing. “I like doing this because I wanted to put my brain and skills to work,” she said, “And it’s been a great way to meet terrific people and learn about my community.”
Favorite retirement activities for Myrna include baking, discovering new walking routes, reading, and hanging around with her 11-year-old twin grandsons, the reasons she moved here, as they were born the same year she retired.
Thank you, ladies, it really does take a village to make this newsletter great—and you three are the town heros!