We've received positive feedback from many Pennsylvania newspapers participating in the Pay it Forward challenge. Several papers were pleased with the number of entries they received and even more were pleasantly surprised by the generosity of sponsors who donated prize money to their contest.
From The Express, Lock Haven
We started the challenge on March 2nd and will end on March 31st as planned.
We have received 19 entries so far. A few of the best ideas so far have been providing funds for a local swimming pool membership to children from low income families, using the money to provide free cooking and nutrition classes to local mothers in the area through WIC, and using the money to help fund a program for recovering drug addicts in the area.
Our Judging panel will be made up of the heads of each department at our newspaper, which are about 8 people. We feel that by working together, we will be able to pick to right person to give the money to.
There are definitely a few entries that stand out among all the rest and we are hoping we will get some more good ideas in before the end of the challenge.
About 3 stories have run in the paper so far about Pay It Forward. When we printed the first story, the prize money was originally $500. Once the story ran, we immediately got a call from someone wishing to match the $500 we were providing, making the prize amount $1000. A few days later we received yet another donation of $500 making to total prize $1500. We were very surprised because we were not asking anyone for donations for the prize money. We then included two more stories in the paper about the increase in prize money and a little about the donators. We plan on running a couple more stories before the end of the challenge.
We are looking forward to picking a winner and seeing what happens with the money. We think this is a great program to be a part of and hope to participate many more times!
Jessica Stokes
Circulation Promotions
Newspapers in Education Coordinator
The Express
From The Daily News, Huntingdon
The Daily News in Huntingdon, PA started the Pay It Forward campaign on March 1, 2008. Thus far we have 34 entries. On March 1 The Daily News had a front page picture of our staff with a Pay it Forward Banner and story. On March 8 my photo was on the front page with a story. Our campaign will run until March 31, judging on April 10, awarding the prize on April 15.
Yes, our judges are already lined up and from different areas of our county,
So far our community has been very receptive to this idea. A thank you note has been sent to each and every entry on the date it was received.
We would like the winning project to be completed by May 31, 2008. We plan to follow the progress with news stories and photos and it unfolds.
Sandi
The Daily News
From The Beaver County Times, Beaver
We launched our campaign on March 2 and to date have received 43 entries. We have not run into any problems. We plan to judge the entries by April 7th. Some our entries are: donating to a charity, helping a family recover from a home fire, helping children that are hospitalized, etc. Our readers have shared their enthusiasm of the contest.
Debbie Bianco
Classified Advertising Manager
From The Valley Voice
Thanks for the kit, I think it was superb and covered all the bases including those I would have never thought of. The kit cemented the deal because I would NOT have had the time to put a program like this together.
We at weekly papers are challenged for time.
The Valley Voice will launch its challenge March 28. We will kick in $500 and we have two sponsors, one matched us for $500 and another for$250 for a total of $1,250.
I have judges in line and have a May 7 deadline for entries.
To judges May 9 to 16 and winner chosen May 19 with coverage in May 23 editions.
Ann Marie Gonsalves, Publisher
From The Bucks County Courier Times, Doylestown
We just wanted you to know week one in Pay It Forward is going very well. We launched Sunday with an ad and story, plus information posted on our customer service web site, www.BucksCountyCourierTimes.com and also a link button from www.phillyBurbs.com. We've received at least 20 entries thus far and also another $1000 as a match to Univest's money...so now the Courier Times is awarding two readers the chance to Pay It Forward.
We've also reached out to local non-profits and schools through NIE to be sure they're aware of the program. News has been very supportive and continues to run briefs about the contest in the left rail. Also, our sponsor has posted a Pay It Forward link on their home page and placed entry boxes in their 14 Bucks County branches.
All in all, a good week!
Carol Shapcott
Marketing and Community Services Manager
Bucks County Courier Times
From The Progress, Clearfield
We have received 24 Pay It Forward entries to date. The very first one received was within one hour after our paper came off the press on the launch date!
Two of the entries received so far want to donate the money in response to two stories we recently featured in our paper - one to a family who had no insurance and lost their home to a fire, and one to a gentleman with cancer, no insurance, and is not able to work. It was heartwarming to see that our news stories have such an impact on our readers!
I have received numerous accolades for The Progress and The Pennsylvania Newspaper Association for conducting "Pay It Forward" - it is a positive, spirit-lifting campaign and the timing couldn't be better!
Thank you!
Jeannine Barger,
Advertising Manager
The Progress, Clearfield
From the New Castle News, New Castle
Here at the New Castle News, we were pleased to receive 27 entries in our Pay It Forward contest.
We launched our campaign with a story by Debbie Wachter Morris about a teen who had been killed in a traffic accident the day after passing his driver's test.
Sean Milliron had signed up as an organ donor and his organs went to seven recipients. That is considered a high number, and all seven people are doing well. This kid really paid it forward.
We are looking forward to awarding the $2,000 prize that has been donated by local attorney Dallas W. Hartman.
The deadline to enter was March 31, and a seven-member panel of judges from the community and the newspaper will be meeting this week to choose a winner.
We also plan to select several other entrants whose ideas will be spotlighted in the paper in the coming weeks.
Our goal with that is to trigger other groups or individuals to donate funds to put those projects into motion.
Mitchel Olszak
Editorial Page Editor
New Castle News
From the Bedford Gazette
The Bedford Gazette had 60 entries in the PAY IT FORWARD Challenge and the winner will be announced next week. The panel of judges picked a winner for the $2,500 prize (from The Bedford Gazette and our corporate partner, Bedford Reinforced Plastics.) But with so many worthy projects to choose from, the Bedford Gazette is contributing $1,000 for a second prize! The winners will be announced in a special section after they are notified and a photograph can be arranged. The section will include a re-publication of the entries, with the hope that other individuals and organizations will do their own good deed and continue to PAY IT FORWARD!
Sherri Growden
Advertising Executive
Bedford Gazette
