Sure, you’ve read a MercerMe story or two (dozen), but have you really thought about what it takes to bring your local news to life every day? Who are these people, and why are they so interested in keeping our Hopewell Valley communities informed?
On the occasion of our 10th Anniversary, allow us to reintroduce ourselves. We’re proud to be the go-to source for local news, because we know our free, local content benefits us all when we’re all well-informed.
Who we are
MercerMe is run by two local residents who work their butts off to keep this machine running, all while working other jobs. As their families can attest, their zeal for the local news is nothing short of ridiculous.
Publisher Mary Galioto founded MercerMe in 2013, and for the first five years was the sole reporter, editor, webmaster, and everything in between. In 2018, editor-in-chief Amie Rukenstein volunteered to shoulder the editorial direction and production of MercerMe, heading up content and editing. Mary now heads up the advertising and marketing divisions while Amie manages MercerMe’s editorial staff.
Our reporters live in this community, just like we do, covering news we all care about.
- Angela Fee-Maimon – Hopewell Borough
- Reporter Needed – Pennington Borough
- Deborah Howlett – Hopewell Township
- Ambreen Ali – Hopewell Valley Regional School District
- Lynn Robbins – Features
They can be found at board meetings, local events, and important gatherings of all sorts. We are so thankful for all their hard work.
What we do
We go to meetings so you don’t have to. Each month, our team reports on public meetings in all three municipalities of Hopewell Valley – Hopewell Township, Hopewell Borough, and Pennington Borough – plus the Hopewell Valley Regional School District board of education meetings.
We check the facts so you’re in the know. There’s a lot of sources out there, but how many are reliable? From social media posts, to talking heads – who has the time to weed out all the trolls? We go to the source, that’s why you come to us.
We live here too so we get what matters. We’re your neighbors, literally. Our kids all go to the same schools. We walk our dogs in Titusville, Hopewell Borough, and on the LHT (and yes, we always scoop). We get why people are upset about the project on Fiddler’s Creek Road and the frustration over traffic on the Pennington Circle.
There’s a lot going on in our schools and in our towns that impacts us and the people we love. We do our darndest to bring it to your attention today and to record this first draft of history for the ages.
Why it matters
This is hard work, but we do it because we love it, because we love our communities, and because it’s important. Here’s a couple of reasons why.
Everyone needs good information. In today’s saturated information landscape, getting balanced, thoughtful news is harder than ever. We know that the more of us who know what’s really happening, the better we can have civil discussions that lead to good solutions. We know nobody benefits from more squabbling. Weird, right?
The future is counting on us. Some day, somebody’s going to wonder what happened in the Hopewell Valley in the early years of this bright new century. Historians know they’ll look to local news to find out. We’re out there writing it down because our history matters, and without publications like MercerMe, there would be no record.
We’re worth it. Our kids are out there, graduating from college and marching in the band. We’re volunteering for causes close to our hearts, and we’re putting everything we have into our businesses. We know you’re out there too, and we think all of these things and so much more deserve to be recognized and celebrated.
Those are just a few of the reasons why we do what we do. If you value these things like we do, we hope you’ll join the team.
You don’t have to become a reporter (but you can), or submit photos (but feel free), or even take out an affordable and effective digital ad (but if you’re in the market, Mary would love to connect).
All it takes to join the MercerMe team is $4.17 a month when you subscribe on the annual plan, or $5 a month if you’d prefer to keep things casual. There’s not a lot you can buy for $5 a month anymore, so if you have it to spare to help keep your local news free, we’d sure appreciate your subscription.
Other (free) ways to support MercerMe
- Follow us on social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
- Subscribe to our newsletter
- Share MercerMe articles via email and social media
- Tell your friends!
