Spotlight Q&A: The Pender Post Society
Each month, The Pender Post shines a spotlight on one of the clubs, groups and societies that make our island community so special. This month, we gaze deeply into our own navel as we highlight The Pender Post Society, with an interview from President Matthew Coutts.
What is your group about, and what do you do?
The Pender Post Society is the non-profit organization behind The Pender Post, our community’s long‑running monthly newsletter. Our purpose is to keep Pender Islanders connected, informed, and engaged with one another by supporting the people and groups that make up the fabric of this very special community.
Through The Pender Post, we can share local news and updates from the public and reports from our clubs and societies, promote their events through our robust calendar pages, and curate creative submissions and community notices. These are published in an attractive magazine-style package, and available online through our ever-growing website.
When was The Pender Post Society started, and what sparked it?
We were officially incorporated as a non-profit society on March 7, 1972 – about a year after we published the first issue of The Pender Post. The newsletter itself began in April 1971 as a grassroots effort to keep islanders informed in a pre‑internet era when communication across North and South Pender was surprisingly difficult.
The Society itself was formally incorporated to ensure the paper’s long‑term stability, volunteer stewardship, and financial transparency. What sparked its creation in the 1970s is what fuels us now: a belief that a connected community is a stronger community.
Do you produce any community events or initiate special projects?
Our primary focus is our monthly publication, through which we support the projects and events our partners bring to life. So, while we’re not an event‑producing society in the traditional sense, we aim to be part of the connective tissue that helps them succeed.
We have spearheaded a few local initiatives over our 55-year history. Most notable is the Jean Bradley Scholastic Gift, an annual endowment presented to Pender Island residents who pursue career training in the field of healthcare.
We also host an all-candidates meeting ahead of local elections – that includes our school board trustee, Capital Regional District area director and four Islands Trust representatives for North and South Pender.
These all-candidates meetings are held every four years with the next being this October. Stay tuned for more details in upcoming issues of The Pender Post.
How often do you get together, and typically when? Can new members join anytime?
The Society meets in the middle of each month – this month’s meeting as well as our AGM will be held on May 15 – and our volunteer editorial board meets at the end of the month, before each issue is sent to our publisher, Island Graphics.
Other editorial work happens behind the scenes all month long, with contributors, proofreaders, editorial reviewers, and our production team working remotely or in person depending on the task.
Local residents who have a subscription to The Pender Post are already part of our membership and are welcome to volunteer in myriad ways. Local societies are also encouraged to designate a “club representative” who may join our board of directors, and the best time for them to join is at our AGM this month.
Are any of the original founders still taking part?
I would say no to the original founders, but we have had countless valuable board members and volunteers over our half-century of publishing, many of whom have remained involved long after hanging up their spurs, supporting the paper and actively contributing through submissions, sharing their institutional memory, unexpected donations, and sometimes simply by cheering us on.
The Post has always been a multigenerational effort. Each era passes the baton to the next, and the founders’ spirit of community service still shapes how we operate.
What gets your members most excited in your meetings or activities?
One thing that unites everyone on our board is the belief that The Pender Post provides a valuable service as a chronological and living record of Pender life. What gets us the most excited is seeing that enthusiasm echoed in the community: when a feature or story resonates with our reader, when new groups reach out to get involved, and when old ones reconnect after a long absence from our pages.
Is there a story or anecdote you’d like to share?
My time with The Pender Post Society is but a footnote in its 55-year history, so bear that in mind. But I will personally never forget a weekend in late April, when our board members’ busy schedules left me alone to host our table at the Hall’s volunteer fair.
I expected to spend the day at our table alone – though you’re never really alone when surrounded by the community-minded people who host and attend a local volunteer fair.
But by the end of the day, our marketing coordinator had checked in on me with fresh promotional materials, our production designer showed up to keep me company, and several board members and frequent volunteers stopped in for supportive chats.
I don’t know why I was surprised by the support. That’s the vibe growing at The Pender Post these days.
What’s in the future for your organization?
We’re currently working on ways our expanding website can better support our club members and subscribers. And we’re engaging with them in various projects that will build better partnerships and, ultimately, a more connected Pender Island.
Long‑term dreams include digitizing archives, expanding youth journalism opportunities, and continuing to modernize while keeping the heart of The Pender Post intact.
Stay tuned.
How can people get in touch with you?
If you’re interested in volunteering with The Pender Post Society, reach out to secretary@penderpost.org for details on our next meeting.
If you’re interested in pitching in to the publishing side of The Pender Post, community@penderpost.org can connect you to our production team.
And you can email me directly at president@penderpost.org, any time.