It is a beautiful mid-August afternoon and I am sitting inside writing down my thoughts. Things are supposedly getting back to normal. I have actually socialized with people in person for the first time in a year and a half.

But how “normal” things will continue to be remains to be seen. The effects of the last while are still resonating. A very concrete example is the very newspaper you are holding in your hands (or reading on your screen). Pandemic restrictions, while important and necessary for our health and safety, have decimated the non-profit sector. We should have had a casino in the spring, but it has been delayed.

As a result, we have had to reduce the number of print issues we publish, and if things don’t turn around soon, may have to stop publishing altogether. This would be a devastating blow to the community. For some, the print edition of the paper is a lifeline, a way to stay connected.

Others here in McCauley and Boyle Street have dedicated years, and in some cases, decades to the paper. Long-term friendships have been forged through the connections made by volunteering.

Until things turn around for Boyle McCauley News, asking for help is going be a regular thing. The quickest, easiest way to help is to take part in our Toss Us Your Toonies campaign. More details are here: bmcnews.org/donate. More information on how to support the paper is on page four.

Boyle McCauley News has been around for 42 years. Together, we can make sure it’s still around for its next milestone birthday.