Mainstreet Introduces NEW Editor/Owner

by Ingrid Baetzel (Outgoing Editor/Owner)

I am so pleased to announce that the paper will continue after I have retired at the end of this year! Readers, advertisers, contributors, family – please welcome Dee Gilbertson as your new editor of this aged and well-loved beauty that IS local news and information, The East Shore Mainstreet.

Dee and her family came to the East Shore in 2019, moving here to be closer to her artisan parents. Dee has four kids, the youngest being four, and the eldest heading to Selkirk College next September. Although Dee (like me when I began) has no direct publication experience, she says, “I am very excited to work with the community and keep the newspaper alive!” She will be enlisting the help of Geoffroy Tremblay of Encre Libre Publishing (and likely others, including me) to get a foothold on the job for the first few months, and, at this point, intends to jump right into it with putting out a January 2023 edition on the heels of my last edition in December. Dee has been involved with many community organizations already and is enthusiastic, energetic, and positive about this transition, as am I.

Some things are going to take some time to transition, like linked accounts, social media and website changeover, communication modes and the simple fact of learning the business on the fly, so we both ask the community to be patient and understanding at this time of adjustment. There is also the possibility of some disruption to the service in this time, so it may be wise to be prepared for that possibility.

Contributors: Please continue to send in your articles and letters! I don’t know the exact direction that Dee intends to go with the paper in the long run, but we both know that without you there simply isn’t a paper. Dee wants your voices to continue to be heard and I will miss be on the receiving end of your generous contributions.

Advertisers: Show support if you can as Dee goes forward, please. She will be communicating advertising packages, business opportunities and new ideas as she moves forward with this but will certainly need the support to keep the paper viable. Also, a quick note: these are two different business owners and if you have any invoices outstanding with Mainstreet currently, please have your account paid up to date by mid-December when my final invoices come out. I have not billed anything beyond Dec 2022. Dee will be starting fresh with subscriptions, ad sales, paper sales, etc., and I need to close out my books before finalizing my year end. Thank you so much for all your support over the past 20 years. I am humbled by your kindness.

Subscribers: Dee will be in touch about continuing your subscriptions. Dee has graciously agreed to honour all existing subscriptions and you will need to connect with her to renew your subscription. Those paid through July 2023 will still get the papers they’ve paid for and will only need to pay for your renewal when it comes due between Jan and July 2023.

So, please, welcome Dee in her new position. She can be reached via the new email account for Mainstreet – editor@eshore.ca or by phone at 250.551.8800.

PLEASE CHANGE YOUR CONTACT DETAILS FOR THE NEWSPAPER AS OF MID DECEMBER 2022/JANUARY 2023!)

I have one more issue to put out next month. I’m certain that a tear or two will stain my keyboard, but inside of that, I want you to know that my gratitude and love for you all is boundless. I am experiencing such a mix of grief and loss along with excitement and a new sense of freedom, and I don’t quite know what to do with myself. Here’s to what’s to come!