While the Patagonia Regional Times print edition, website, Facebook page and Weekly News Bulletin are available for free to readers, we rely on the contributions of engaged community members, like you, to ensure local news is published. Please help us continue the vital work of reporting on the local stories that shape our lives and keep our community strong by donating during our spring campaign.
Below, volunteer writer Sondra Porter shares her own reasons for supporting the PRT.
When my husband and I bought our home in Patagonia 20 years ago, we knew just three things about the town: it was friendly, scenic and full of birds. As birders, we wanted a place to enjoy new sightings and escape the long, cold Alaskan winters we’d lived through for most of our adult lives.
We quickly fell in love – with the warm weather, the endless birds, and the simple joy of walking to our daily destinations after years of driving everywhere. But we wondered: How could we truly understand this place and get involved in the community? Bulletin boards at the stores and post office gave us hints about local happenings, but we still felt isolated at first.
All that changed when we began spending nearly the whole year here in 2009 and the Patagonia Regional Times started publishing. The paper became our lifeline. Through both the print edition and the online Bulletin, we learned not only what was happening around us, but also uncovered the deep, rich history of the area.
I’ll never forget reading about the Tin Shed Theater in the PRT. I started attending plays and when I saw the opportunity I volunteered as an assistant director. That experience connected me more deeply with Patagonia and showed me the power local news has to spark real community engagement. It didn’t stop there. I went on to join the Crossroads Quilters, helped at local fundraisers for KPUP and took part in an Audubon project, all after learning about them in the PRT Bulletin.
That’s what this paper is about, bringing people together with thoughtful coverage of local events, government, and the heritage that grounds us here. While so many news sources are closing across the country, we’re incredibly fortunate have a nonprofit, volunteer-driven newspaper to keep us informed and connected.
Every issue brings us updates from local schools, town council plans, nonprofit efforts, environmental news, and so much more. Even better, the weekly online Bulletin shares the latest events and urgent news, making it easy to stay involved.
None of this is possible without your support. Thanks to readers and donors like you, the PRT continues to inform and unite our community. Please support our Spring Fundraising Campaign, your gift truly makes a difference.
Whether you give $10, $25, $50 or $100, every donation goes directly toward bringing you the stories that matter most. To contribute, send a check to Patagonia Regional Times, P.O. Box 1073, Patagonia, Arizona 85624, or donate online by clicking here.
Thank you for helping keep local news alive and strong in eastern Santa Cruz County.
Sondra Porter
Volunteer Writer