Thursday evening, Advocate staffers and some of their new neighbors swung the doors for a public open house and game night. Fundraising was, of course, also a thing, but it was also a time to reflect on how far the paper has come over the last year, and visions for its future.
Editor-in-Chief Stevie Beisswanger offered keynote remarks, expressing gratitude for the Advocate’s new home at The Corvallis Foundry, and adding she appreciates the energetic support the organization offers startup entrepreneurs. Beisswanger noted The Foundry’s wish to be supportive of the paper, and reflected on how she and the paper had grown alongside each other since 2015.
Publisher Steven Schultz outlined The Advocate’s move to daily news online, and a bi-monthly print product of deeper and more serious work. Schultz also noted the paper had more than doubled the scope of its events calendar, and had started offering free CitySpeak forums as an opportunity to constructively work through community issues. Schultz explained, that in his view, these changes could not have happened without the paper’s donors and staff.
Schultz added his view that The Foundry offers the spark of entrepreneurial creativity at a time when the paper is seeking to chart new courses.
Foundry Entrepreneur in Residence Bret Carpenter was next to the mic, where he noted that the Foundry itself, is growing, and seeking to help in rural areas. He highlighted the collaborative nature of The Foundry, introducing audience members from other community business support organizations.
Next to the mic were vendors that had shared food and booze for the night’s festivities. These included, Not’cho vegan cheese from Wildflower Farms, Mother Culture Jun, and grain-free granola from Nourishing Kitchens. 2 Towns contributed cider on tap, and Grouphead Coffee offered prizes.
As we ask for your contributions, please take a moment to view our vision, as we announced it last month. You can also visit our support page.
Do you have a story for The Advocate? Email editor@corvallisadvocate.com