Scott Laird characterizes himself as “one of those people who doesn’t know what he wants to be when he grows up.” For now, he’s the cofounder and editor, and head writer, for a newspaper that’s been a positive force for the community and local economy in Vernonia, Oregon.

Scott and his wife Kate moved to the coastal range town of Vernonia in April 2003. Kate had taken a job in the small timber town as a postal worker, and for a while she commuted from their old home in Portland. “It took some convincing by my wife,” Scott says, but Kate urged him to come out and look at the community. The low cost of housing and Vernonia’s small-town character impressed Scott and he agreed to move.

Scott and Kate quickly integrated into the community. In the city, Scott never found a way or the motivation to be engaged, but moving into a small town he found he was more curious about what was going on. He started going to city council meetings, and got to know the officials and leaders in that way. During this time, community engagement in Vernonia was at a low. Scott and Kate got involved with the local Grange, which had been failing for years. “About six of us spent all day decorating for a Valentine’s Day party, and only four people showed up.” The two gave up work at the Grange, but Scott continued his involvement in his new community.

Scott coached youth soccer, volunteered as an EMT, and took a position on the city parks committee. In April 2005, Scott was nominated and signed up for the Ford Institute Leadership Program. “I’m one of those people who really likes to be asked to do things,” says Scott, “so the idea of someone thinking that I could be a leader in the community was exciting, and it was an opportunity to get some really good skills and tools.” It was through his experience with the Ford Institute Leadership Program that Scott gained the confidence, skills, and connections to create a new local newspaper: Vernonia’s Voice.

In 2007, Scott was acting as a community trainer for the second round of the Ford Institute Leadership Program in Vernonia, which included his wife Kate. Scott and some participants in his leadership training started discussing the role of a community newspaper, and reached the conclusion that the current paper in town was not meeting the community’s needs. They felt that the local newspaper should be a positive force in the community. Revamping the paper was not a project that fit the program’s criteria. Scott, however, remained interested in the challenges and benefits of the newspaper project.

Scott found the inspiration to turn the newspaper idea into reality when he met another community member, Evangeline Doyle. Evangeline had a technical skill set that complimented Scott’s skills and the two utilized the connections that Scott had made as part of the Ford Institute. The two shared a vision for a local newspaper that would reflect the positive aspects of Vernonia and in turn uplift the community. Armed with computers and a camera, the two took on the project with their own funds and the help of a hired graphic designer. One month later their dream became a reality and they published their first issue of Vernonia’s Voice.

The positive impact Laird and Doyle have made with Vernonia’s Voice is evident by the paper’s relationship with local businesses. When they first started, Laird and Doyle walked the streets of downtown Vernonia to solicit the support of local entrepreneurs. “Businesses really struggle to survive in a small town, and advertising dollars are tight,” Scott says, suggesting it might be hard to get their financial support, “but they all jumped on board immediately.” Almost every merchant they approached said yes. This local support helped the newspaper break even in its sixth edition, and Scott in turn supports the businesses with his newspaper. “Helping the businesses be more successful is going to reward us in the long run,” he explains. In every issue he tries to focus on different businesses in the community. In one issue Scott wrote a small piece on the local recycling center, mentioning problematic drop offs after hours that were blocking the gate at the center. The following week a person who’d been leaving cardboard went down to the center to apologize. “That was what this is all about for me,” Scott said, “Knowing that people are reading it, understanding the message and then acting…it’s the best feeling.”

Vernonia’s Voice and people like Scott Laird are making Vernonia a better place. Remember that old failing Grange and the Valentine’s dance for four? Recently the Grange hosted a dance and over fifty people showed up. “It’s about people wanting to be active in their community,” says Laird. “There is a change in the community spirit in this last year. Connections have been made and there are things happening here that weren’t happening a couple of years ago.”