Sharing A Decade of Good News At Welcome Home!
By Alissa Nagle
In today’s world, you may have a difficult time finding a newspaper that shines a spotlight on the good things in life - the accomplishments of our amazing youth, inspirational stories behind charities and non-profit organizations, and the residents and local businesses that comprise the heart of our community. However, Stone Oak and northern San Antonio residents are fortunate to have just that; a community newspaper which exudes everything that founders, Russell Groomer and Gina Groomer-Barbera believe in: optimism, hope, and good news. This month, Welcome Home! Community Newspaper will celebrate their 10th anniversary as an invaluable resource for our growing community.
Gina, Welcome Home! Publisher, generated the concept of the paper after forming her own welcoming company. Gina would travel door-to-door, greeting newcomers to the area, presenting them with baskets full of goodies representing area businesses. As the community continued to grow, Gina realized that a newspaper would be a perfect neighborhood news outlet for residents and businesses.
In May of 2001, the first edition of Welcome Home! Community Newspaper was published. Since then, it has grown steadily, from only 16 pages reaching 6,000 homes, to a four editions which vary by content reaching six San Antonio zip codes, over 52,000 homes and businesses in direct mail, and over 15,000 residents in rack distribution.
The paper has faced its fair share of challenges, but it has always forged ahead thanks to the support, new energy and ideas from community members and staff.
Gina remembers how it first felt, holding the first issue of the paper in her hands.
"There is nothing quite like seeing the finished product of something you have worked so hard on,” Gina said. “We have come a long way since then. From the beginning, the most important goal of our newspaper was to highlight all the wonderful people and events our community has to offer.”
Over the years, the paper has improved in quality and quantity, serving many different needs in the community. Recurring columns help residents receive the latest news relevant to where they live and work. "New Developments" alerts the community to up and coming restaurants, businesses, schools and libraries in their area. Councilwoman Elisa Chan's column, "District 9 News" keeps voters informed of the state of the local economy and new, important legislation. A community events calendar helps residents plan fun-filled weekends, announcing school events, fundraisers and local productions of the arts.
Articles submitted by community members are what keep the heart of the paper beating strong. The readers of Welcome Home! serve as the paper's eyes and ears in the community. Without them, Welcome Home! would not be what it is today.
"The residents and community members who submit articles are what make working for Welcome Home! so rewarding," explained Kristin Oliver, Office Manager. "People come to us with such inspirational and amazing stories that it's truly our pleasure to help spread their message."
Commemorating the youth of San Antonio is also a large emphasis for the paper. Welcome Home! covers two school districts, North East ISD and Comal ISD, and there is never a shortage of news related to our next generation of athletes, scientists, doctors and musicians. Among countless others, we've been fortunate to spotlight our future military leaders who participate in the outstanding JROTC high school programs, amazing athletes training for the Olympics, and brilliant and hardworking students who value education and are always hungry to learn more. Welcome Home! believes that the accomplishments of students in our community, both in and outside the classroom, should always make headlines.
In addition to spreading good news, Welcome Home! has always been a strong advocate for local and community businesses. The only paper of its kind in northern San Antonio, Welcome Home! provides businesses the opportunity to reach their most likely customer base. Many of our advertisers have been with us since the very beginning - a testament to the success generated and loyal customers gained through the services of Welcome Home!
"Over the years, Welcome Home! has become the go-to publication for new businesses in the community," explained Russell, Editor In Chief. "We've established wonderful relationships with our advertisers. Their loyalty is a testament to Welcome Home's! ability to help them generate a strong customer base."
One of Welcome Home's! most loyal advertisers, Independence Hill Retirement Resort Community, has been with the paper for years.
"Independence Hill has seen Welcome Home! grow from an awesome newspaper that told about all the happenings in the neighborhood, to a way for the community to come together - businesses reaching other businesses AND businesses reaching residents,” described Sherrill Perez, Independence Hill Marketing and Sales Representative. “Welcome Home! has been one of the best ways to get people in the neighborhood to know who we are. People always say, ‘I saw you in Welcome Home!’ This is one newspaper families hold on to because it is all about their community which they care about the most.”
Dr. Monica Allison of Stone Oak Vision Source, another long-term client, writes a monthly informative column, another wonderful option for Welcome Home’s! advertisers.
“Welcome Home! has been a great resource for my office to get my messages out to the community,” said Dr. Allison. “Almost every day, a patient will comment about seeing our articles in Welcome Home! so I know people are reading them! We've enjoyed adding two more doctors and an expanded office area that nearly doubled our size - all because of the support of the families of Stone Oak and all who read Welcome Home!”
The success of Welcome Home! has also allowed Gina and staff to host spectacular community events. December 2010 marked our seventh annual Stone Oak Winter Celebration at North Central Baptist Hospital. In anticipation of this one-of-a-kind family event, Welcome Home! coordinates an annual Toys for Tots Drive with the United States Marines and local schools. Thousands gather for an afternoon of carnival rides, tasty treats and real snow - all while helping make Christmas possible for underprivileged children in San Antonio. In addition, Welcome Home! is dedicated to supporting non-profits, charities and long-standing traditions in the community like A Taste of the Northside. Welcome Home! is also a proud sponsor of various athletics programs at Reagan and Johnson High School including the ambassadors of Rattler and Jaguar pride - the cheerleaders and baton twirlers.
Welcome Home! also partners with its sister organization, the Stone Oak Business Association (SOBA), to help organize several events throughout the year. One of its largest events, the SOBA Business Expo benefits a scholarship fund for Reagan and Johnson High School seniors. This month, SOBA will also host a mixer for local businesses to unite in support of the new Parman Library, a new and wonderful community resource.
Gina, Russell and the staff at Welcome Home! work and live in Stone Oak and the surrounding areas. Our readers and advertisers are our neighbors and friends. We share the values of our readers and understand the community because we are a part of it. Our main goal is to bring the community together, sharing stories and news, promoting generosity and good deeds, and publishing the best community newspaper possible. We thank you for your readership, loyalty and support over these past ten years…and counting.
