Following a spur-of-the-moment inspiration in 2021, the nonprofit The Oglethorpe Echo Legacy Inc. was born.
Everyone, including the Maxwell family and UGA’s Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, endorsed the idea. And with that, the then 147-year-old weekly newspaper kept rolling off the press every Wednesday.
Looking back, the new era of The Oglethorpe Echo just seemed that it was meant to be. There is an African proverb: “If you want to run fast, run alone. If you want to run far, run together.”
Running together is what we have done.
The community — readers, advertisers and donors — have embraced the running together concept. Each year, The Echo gains strength and additional national recognition.
But there are some unsung heroes who are vital to these advancements.
From the very start, volunteers started signing up, wanting to know how they could help. When Athens resident Fran Rauschenberg read about the rebirth of The Echo, she offered to work the front desk for free, as long as necessary. And she did, until we could hire someone.
At the same time, Maxeys retired educator Barbara Cabaniss stepped forward to organize a team of volunteers. Like clockwork, Team Echo did whatever they could to assist the newspaper.
Last week, business manager Trisha Bearden and office assistant Valerie Argo organized a “thank you” luncheon for the volunteers. (See the photo above.) Even though we are now in the fourth year of the nonprofit model, enthusiasm still runs high among the loyal helpers who contribute their time and ideas.
If you had to choose the key reason for The Oglethorpe Echo’s success, we believe that it’s the cooperative spirit of many. And that gets back to the belief: “If you want to run far, run together.”
But no matter how far we go, we can never stop running. Our goal is to keep on keeping on, growing and meeting the informational needs of the community.
Volunteers, we thank you.
You have proven that teamwork makes the dream work.