Want to save investigative journalism?


f you're the kind of
 person reading this
 column over the
holidays, then you're
probably the kind of per-
son who worries about
the future of American
journalism. And you
very likely know all too
well that the dwindling
fortunes of the newspa-
per industry, the devo-
lution of television news
and the rise of Internet
news sites have raised
big questions about how
we will continue to pro-
duce quality reporting
- especially investiga-
tive reporting that takes
on the social issues too
often neglected in our
media.
 Exactly how to pre-
serve and promote
investigative journalism
in a changing world is
a complicated problem
that has preoccupied
publishers, reporters,
readers and concerned
citizens for years now.
But while the news
industry financially sorts
itself out, solutions are
under construction in
the nonprofit sector,
where advertising, click


rates and infotainment
don't overwhelm jour-
nalistic values.
 This is why, during the
last few days of 2013,
I ask you to consider
supporting an important
institution that ensures
the kind of journalism
we value most can
thrive: The Investigative
Fund. (Here I should
disclose that in addition
to my other work, I have
served proudly at The
Fund for several years as
editor-at-large.)
 With donations
from individuals and
foundations, the inde-
pendent and nonprofit
Investigative Fund
supports the craft of
investigative reporting
across a broad swath of
American media, from
magazines like The


Nation, The Washington
Monthly, Harper's,
Mother Jones, The New
Republic, Glamour, Elle,
GQ, Time and The New
York Review of Books,
to major broadcast
and Web outlets, such
as NPR's Marketplace,
Slate, The Huffington
Post, PBS and Fusion TV
to name only a few.
 Over the past year,
its grants have again
produced stunning
stories including an
undercover probe of the
sickening conditions
suffered by children who
work in this country's
tobacco fields. Yes, there
are kids too young to
buy cigarettes who are
hired to harvest the
killer crop for a pittance
- and get poisoned by
the nicotine leaching
from its leaves under the
broiling sun.
 The Fund has sent
reporters into all kinds
of places where the light
of serious journalism
rarely shines such as
the shipping warehouses
where holiday temp
workers toil en masse
for low wages until their


hands bleed; or the
homes where orphaned
children are abused
by the dozen under
the stern oversight of
devoutly "religious"
adoptive parents; or the
obscure places along
the U.S.-Mexico border,
where innocent people
have been wounded and
even killed by the Border
Patrol for no apparent
reason at all.
 Since its founding as
a pilot project in 1996,
The Investigative Fund's
stories have sparked
resignations of public
officials, triggered FBI
probes, grand jury inves-
tigations, congressional
hearings and federal
legislation, while others
have changed the debate
around a key issue or ex-
posed previously hidden
forms of abuse and ex-
ploitation. Investigative
Fund stories have won
some of journalism's
top prizes: the George
Polk Award, National
Magazine Award, Sidney
Hillman Award, medals
from Investigative
Reporters and Editors,
and many more.


 As gratifying as
recognition from peers
is, what matters more is
how The Investigative
Fund serves the enter-
prising reporters who
now often struggle to
practice their craft. At
The Fund, they can ob-
tain the kind of support
they need to work on the
kind of stories we need.
Along with grants for
travel, research, report-
ing and other expenses,
The Fund's editors
provide professional
editorial guidance and,
when necessary, legal
support, too.
 When a young report-
er probing suspicious
deaths in New Orleans
in the aftermath of
Hurricane Katrina ran
into a stonewall at the
parish coroner's office,
The Fund hired local
counsel who sued for
access to hidden doc-
uments and won.
When police in Fiji
arrested another young
reporter who was inves-
tigating the depletion of
its resources to produce
bottled luxury water,
The Fund reached out


to U.S. diplomats and
ensured her safety.
 While fearless in its
choice of stories, The
Fund is rigorous, too,
with every article or
broadcast fact-checked
before distribution. In
an era when uninformed
and scabrous opinion
too often overshad-
ows real reporting,
upholding traditional
journalistic standards
is a critical part of The
Fund's mission.
 Should you wish
to support The
Investigative Fund's
work with a tax-deduct-
ible contribution, please
visit www.theinvestigative
fund.org where you
can first read some of
the hundreds of stories
made possible by such
donations, while also
learning about their
impact. This is an in-
vestment in the kind of
journalism that remains
vital to both democracy
and decency.
 To find out more
about Joe Conason, visit
the Creators Syndicate
website at www.creators.
corn.


Ask not what America will do for you


he other day as
 we waited in
 holiday traffic to
clear at the intersection
of Midway and Tamiami
Trail I looked over to
my right and with rage
in my core I was about
to complain about the
driver in front of our
Mercedes Benz and then
I saw the smiling face of
my wife; then I stopped.
She was relaxed, enjoy-
ing the few days off as
an ESE teacher in one
of our area elementary
schools. Not an easy
job, you might say, but
she does it with love
every day.
 Then I thought how
blessed we are in
Charlotte County be-
cause of our volunteers.
 The first Monday
of the month at the


 Jacob K. Chapin
Curmudgeon Club


local library, I used to
endeavor to engage cit-
izens to become part of
more than 65 weary vol-
unteer organizations in
our county overseen by
Retired Senior Volunteer
Program (RSVP).
Regretfully, I have to
say that I observed
hundreds of residents
walk in and out with
a hefty mass of books,
but very rarely did
anyone attempt to listen
or talk to me about
volunteering. This year
RSVP vanished from
our county because the
lack of support from our
community.


 While some adults
may be conscious of the
necessities of our com-
munity, small numbers
of them take the time
to help. Many of us,
influenced by external
sources, take pleasure in
being "Monday morning
quarterbacks," regularly
criticizing our local,
state, and federal gov-
ernments. Demanding
transparency, lower
taxes, reduction of per-
sonnel, fewer benefits
and salaries for one and
all; except for me ...
government you keep
away. I want my free-
dom, my machine gun
and I also want to assert
control over women's
given rights.
 Whatever your choic-
es are, just complaining,
nagging will never


amend anything. The
change has to be within
ourselves, we have to
contribute to our coun-
try's future; we need to
get involved we need to
educate our children,
and other people's
children, demonstrate
that we are responsible
enough to protect their
future, that freedom
of choice, religion and
government is possi-
ble, but that requires
responsibilities on our
part.
 We have to be distrib-
utors of resources, not
by just giving money
away; but by funding
better schools, teaching
people skills so they can
work their way out of
poverty. I have to admit
I have no tolerance for
those individuals who


constantly have their
hand out.
 "Volunteer!" Everyone
has something to offer;
you have a life of ex-
perience to share. Stop
dumping on the other
guy. Be courageous.
Be like Sam Carroll, a
14-year Guardian Ad
Litem who day after
day advocates for our
county children in
court. Be like Bonnie
Jacobs who gets up in
the middle of the night
to rush to a house fire
and provide American
Red Cross relief to a
homeless family. Be
like Dolly Tomalinas,
a Charlotte County
Master Gardener, who
every day tutors and
guides disabled senior
veterans in how to
create horticultural


environmentally safe
gardens. Be like Joyce
McDonald, a leader of
the Crossing Guardians,
dedicated to mentor-
ing teens in our local
foster camp. Be part of
the solution and not
the substance of the
problem.
 If this article touched
you and you realized
that you are blessed and
in this Christmassy time
you want to volunteer,
just call 211; they will
guide you well.
 Jacob K. Chapin is a
member of the Charlotte
County Curmudgeon
Club. Readers may
reach him at curclub@
embarqmail.com. The
Curmudgeon website
is www.cccurmudgeon.
com.


The promise of another New Year's resolution


according to the
 Internet encyclo-
 pedia, Wikipedia,
a New Year's resolution
is defined as a promise
that you make to your-
self on the first day of
the year to start doing
something good or stop
doing something bad.
The ancient Babylonians
made promises to their
gods at the start of each
year that they would
return borrowed objects
and pay their debts. The
Romans began each year
by making promises to
the god Janus, for whom
the month of January is
named. In the Medieval


era, the knights took the
"peacock vow" at the end
of the Christmas season
each year to re-affirm
their commitment to
chivalry. In a more mod-
ern context, according
to Oprah, each year is
"another chance for us to
get it right."


 Truth be known, may-
be that's not as hard as
it sounds. What if we hit
the "reset" button and
resolved to do better at
simple things, such as:
 Talk to our neighbors
 Perform small
kindnesses
 Be friendly to a visitor
 Find ways to give
back to the community
 Support a local
charity
 Volunteer
 Find a way to
connect with another
generation
 Do something to
make our community a
better place to live


 Looking back at Team
Punta Gorda's accom-
plishments during 2013,
I am reminded of how
much there is still to do
to continue making the
greater Punta Gorda area
a great place to live, work
and play.
 Here are some of the
New Year's resolutions to
which we, at Team Punta
Gorda, are committed
in 2014:
 Find new ways for
citizens to become part
of our team
 Build new
partnerships
 Continue to work to
beautify our city


 Find new ways to
engage the next genera-
tion in service
 Seek opportunities
to work on behalf of the
entire city.
 As we move forward
on this journey into the
New Year, we need your
help. There are count-
less and varied ways
for you to assist and to
perhaps fulfill a New
Year's resolution of your
own.
 Visit our website www.
teampuntagorda.org
and have a look at the
projects in which we are
involved. What could
you do to help? Call the


office at 941-637-8326
or send us an email at
team@teampuntagorda.
org. Even if you are
unsure of what role you
might play, just call
us and we'll help you
decide where best to get
involved.
 There are few joys
greater than working
alongside your neighbors
to make our home an
even better place. We
look forward to hearing
from you.
 Nancy Johnson is the
CEO of Team Punta
Gorda. Readers may reach
her at team@teampunta
gorda.org.


 JjMemorials ih ie cuun
 Honor your passed loved ones anytime
 with a personalized memorial tribute.
 Call (941) 206-1028 for rates.


 Having Problems With

 Your Dentures?
Difficulty Eating? -
Sore Gums? "
Wobbly or Loose? .4 .-
Messy Adhesives?
 Denture Stabilization
 Affordable! Complimentary Initial Consultation!
Are you concerned about zinc content in your denture adhesives?
For more information on zinc and your denture adhesives visit www.ada.org
 Family Dental Care
 100 Madrid Blvd., Ste. 414
 Punta Gorda 941-575-2626
 S www.smilesofpuntagorda.com


;TjideB'ell" o.o,,.i~

 YOUR LOCAL,
 T de YOUII NOT-FOR-PROFIT
 CWelf HOSPICE
 SINCE 1980

IT'S '0l9 gVULLHE




 Learn how Bea and Irv are living and loving
 well at www.tidewell.org


 To learn about Tidewell's programs and services, call
 S855-843-3935 any time.
 c Serving Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte and DeSoto counties.


PORT CHARLOTTE/PUNTA GORDA DESOTO COUNTY
THE ANIMAL WELFARE LEAGUE ANIMAL SHELTER
 3519 Drance St. (863) 993-4855
 (941) 625-6720
 ENGLEWOOD SUNCOAST ENGLEWOOD EARS ANIMAL
 HUMANE SOCIETY RESCUE SOCIETY -
 6781 San Casa Dr. 145 W. Dearborn St.
 (941) 474-7884 (941) 475-0636


The Sun /Saturday, December 28, 2013


www.sunnewspapers.net


C OurTown Page 11


VIEWPOINT