Dear reader, 

“Mainers to Be Thankful For” is one of my favorite annual features. I hope you have a chance to enjoy this year’s selection of people who make our lives brighter and our communities stronger – people like Janice Sweeney of Jay, who started her lifetime of community service working at the snack shack at athletic events; or Amran Osman of Lewiston, who realized after her brother fatally overdosed that she had the power to improve outcomes for people in her community.  

Reading this year’s “Mainers to be Thankful For” feels even more restorative than usual. While our image of Maine as a safe place was shattered on Oct. 25, reading about the selfless Mainers who came to Lewiston’s aid reinforces the truth that there is so much good in our community. Watching Lewiston and all of Maine surround the families of the victims with an outpouring of support showed how good we are at coming together and being there for each other. 

The moving images from the Lewiston/Auburn football game by our photographers Daryn Slover of the Sun Journal and Brianna Soukup of the Press Herald stand out in my mind for their vivid depiction of resilience and human connection. 

This season I’m also filled with gratitude for the opportunity that we have, as the newly created Maine Trust for Local News, to continue telling Maine’s stories. Sun Journal reporter Steve Collins reflected recently on Reade Brower’s decision to sell his newspapers to the nonprofit National Trust for Local News. Under a different owner, as Steve noted, we may not have had the resources – photographers, reporters, editors – to cover the Lewiston story fully. The need for accurate, reliable information was crucial during those first 72 hours, when misinformation ran rampant through social media. 

And my gratitude extends to all of you, our readers. Your support of our work through your subscriptions makes that work possible. The almost 400 people who work for the state’s largest nonprofit news network are reenergized and more committed than ever to bringing you the important news you need. We look forward to building deeper connections in the communities we serve so we can better represent and report on vitally important issues. 

Finally, I wouldn’t be doing my job as the leader of the Maine Trust for Local News if I didn’t ask you to consider giving the gift of local journalism with a gift subscription this holiday season. Visit pressherald.com/gift to take advantage of our limited-time offers.  

Former Washington Post President and Publisher Philip L. Graham called journalism “the first rough draft of history.” We recognize this great responsibility and work tirelessly in service of you, our readers. 

Best wishes for a peaceful holiday season.  

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