Westport’s classic news, with style

Sarah Gillingwater cares about stories. She cares about people. Most of all, she cares about community.

This makes her perhaps the best person to rescue a dying heritage newspaper in Westport, Ont.

The Review-Mirror began its life as the Westport Mirror in the late 1800s, but even with all that history, last year it seemed destined to follow so many of its counterparts to the grave. When its owner, John Fenik, former mayor of Perth, Ont., decided to let it go, Sarah stepped in.

It was a big step. At 27 years old, Sarah had no journalistic experience. But she was bright, smart, energetic, highly creative and accomplished as a graphic designer. She also had a background in business.

Sarah Gillingwater

She didn’t want to see this old paper, with 132 years of the stories of its people, just die.

“Once you lose your community newspaper, you really feel it,” she says. “I thought it just needed to have some life poured into it.”

Added to her skills in graphic design and business, Sarah has another superpower: her partner, David Teixeira. Savvy with advertising sales, a photographer, and holder of a marketing degree, David is the perfect balance.

Sarah writes articles, looks after the business side and does the layout that is so critical to an eye-catching, readable, relatable, publication. The rest of the team is made up of freelance reporters.

The result is a classic community newspaper with fresh style and energy. Sarah has worked to keep its traditional charm but at the same time bring it into the light of a new era.

The paper had become a more regional publication, and she set out to change that.

David Teixeira

“I wanted to narrow it,” she explains. “People want to see local news. They want to know their own stories, to have their voice heard.” She adds mainstream media doesn’t usually tell local stories, and social media is limiting. Stories disappear.

The Review-Mirror now covers Westport and nearby communities of Elgin, Portland, Delta, Lyndhurst and Athens. Stories focus on happenings and people. “We like to tell people what’s going on, to promote events, and then to do follow-ups to let everyone know how it all went,” she says.

Other stories are about the people in the community ‒ for example, Anders Carson, Westport’s beloved postmaster of past years, who has just returned to take over the beautiful heritage post office again. (Anders is also T. Anders Carson, an award-winning Canadian poet whose most popular book is “I Knew It Would Come To This”). The writer of the story about Anders is freelance writer and Westport resident Suesan Saville.

Other stories have included a story about Pamela Stuffles and her 40-year dedication as Westport’s librarian. Another was about a Westport rescue service called Howling Hideaway that also promoted an event it was having, and yet another about a delicious new café opening in tiny Elgin, Ont. called Julianna’s.

Sarah isn’t all that crazy about political stories, and she tries to stay as unbiased as anyone possibly can. The fact that she does not live in the area helps because she is not directly involved in some of the decisions that affect everyone else.

“Still, it’s a challenge,” she says. “The best I can do is to provide the news so people can have their own opinions.”

She adds although hard news is important, “features are what make a true community paper.”

Reaction to this newcomer to the community’s newspaper was at first guarded.

“A lot of people were wary at first,” Sarah says. “Here I was, a young woman with no journalistic experience. And there were some who didn’t like change. But I’m mostly hearing happy voices.”

Almost a full year later, Sarah is glad she made the decision to buy the paper.

“It has had its bumps along the way,” she says. “But overall it has been a very enjoyable experience.”

She admits she has learned a lot.

“And I’m so glad I can contribute to the community.”