by Denise Wauters
Wow, can you believe it’s already been two years since I took the reins of our beloved Mullet Rapper newspaper? It’s been such an incredible journey, and I’ve loved every moment of it!
Looking back, we’ve come so far. We’ve upgraded from letter-sized pages to a full-sized newspaper, from black-and-white to color, and from printing 500 copies an issue to 3,000. We’ve gone from 13 newsstands to over 60, and we’ve expanded our coverage to include more of our neighboring communities. Thanks to our amazing sponsors, we’ve been able to keep the paper free at the newsstands, which is a huge win!
Our team of contributors keeps growing, and with that, so does the range of topics and stories we’re able to share. If you’ve ever contributed, you’re awesome! We hope we’re making the paper more interesting and useful. We’re always open to more contributions, whether it’s events, articles, or little tidbits of local news—don’t hesitate to reach out at mulletrapper@gmail.com
As we begin year three, we’re setting our sights on some exciting goals. First, I’m thrilled to introduce Caitlin, our new delivery person. Be sure to welcome her as she gets the hang of things. She’s got a direct line to me, so feel free to let her know if there’s anything we should be aware of.
We’re also expanding further into Marco Island and Naples, which will help us better support local events, fundraisers, and advertisers. And if we can get enough sponsors, we’re hoping to add four more pages of content! We could definitely use the extra space.
The last two years have been so much fun. I never imagined I’d feel so connected to the community. I love running into all of you on the street and hearing your stories about the Mullet Rapper. One gentleman told me, “I’ve been giving you my quarter since I was 10 years old.” That kind of love is what makes this job so special.
It really does take a village to keep the Mullet Rapper going. I couldn’t do it without you—thank you to all the editors, contributors, and readers who make it all possible!
