For the past six years, the Bird Rock Community Council’s newsletter hinged mostly on resident Barbara Dunbar’s pre- and post-production efforts. But after she announced her departure from the newsletter late last year, the council is working to figure out how to keep the tradition alive while adapting to a more digital format.
Dunbar first ed the newsletter team in 2008, when she helped with distribution. Over the years, she kept doing more and more and became the newsletter’s editor in 2014 and designer in 2018.
Eventually, Dunbar said, she dedicated nearly 80 hours every other month researching, writing, obtaining copy, securing ads, producing the layout, proofing, picking up copies and coordinating distribution.
“You want to do it right, too,” Dunbar said. “It’s a lot of time to carefully try to proof[read] everything and make sure you’re providing the information you really need, taking minutes at the meeting and making sure everything gets in.”
As her responsibilities changed, so did distribution of the paper. When she started, 1,600 copies were delivered to homes and businesses across the area. That number has since dropped, as has local participation, partly because of an aging volunteer base, more locked doors across the neighborhood and a lack of young community getting involved.
Dunbar said she realized she needed to take a step back from the newsletter a couple of years ago as the workload became more of a challenge for her. But she didn’t end her tenure until November, when she produced the December 2024/January 2025 edition.
“There were things that I wasn’t able to do that I wanted to do,” Dunbar said. “There were house projects that weren’t getting done because I just plain didn’t have enough time to do everything and do all my other stuff that I have to do.”
She described leaving the newsletter as a combination of sadness and relief. But her role in the community extends far beyond that.
Dunbar also is Bird Rock’s Maintenance Assessment District representative and the Community Council’s treasurer, both roles that she plans to continue. She serves on several other boards as well, including La Jolla Parks & Beaches.
“In a way, you go from twice as much work to only one and a half times as much,” Dunbar said. “I honestly don’t think most people understand how much work was involved in doing [the newsletter] and how much planning needs to be done. … There has to be somebody who’s really in charge and really understands all of the aspects of what’s involved in doing it and can marshal people together to do it.”
A new era
Since Dunbar’s departure, progress has been slow on assembling the February/March newsletter, said BRCC President Joe Terry.
“We’re behind and trying to catch up, at least slowly,” Terry said. “It’s possible we can get a newsletter out in the next month. It’s just hard to do.
“It was basically a one-person show, with volunteers with the distribution. [Dunbar] did basically everything. And we’re not sure how many people it will take to replace her.”
Several volunteers have offered to pitch in, including six-year BRCC board member Kristin Barret, who has a professional background in brand design and marketing.
Barret said she’s intent on stepping up BRCC’s digital presence. The layout of the newsletter — which she said will have several different digital formats — is in the works. One of the biggest changes she is championing are links to relevant websites and other resources for readers to dig deeper into topics in the newsletter.
Distribution will be “principally electronic” and promoted via email, she said. But printed copies will be delivered to people who can’t access the newsletter online.
“Our overall goal is to preserve the integrity of our community newsletter, but we’re using a lot of paper to print it, so evolving to a digital format makes sense,” Barret said.
Lake Price will handle digital mechanics and Jennifer Van Galder will work on merchant spotlights. The newsletter also will feature a column on Bird Rock’s history by BRCC Vice President Joe Parker, a message from Terry and updates about Bird Rock Elementary School from a local parent. Board member Janette Williams also offered help with writing.
In addition, Oscar “Oz” Riveros of local digital marketing and advertising group The Lead Wolf offered to contribute, and he and Terry met last week to discuss it.
With options available, BRCC now has “to figure out what makes sense … and get going with it,” Terry said.
But additional help is still needed, Barret said.
“We have a lot of good ideas but would love to have locals and/or interested volunteers contribute articles, photography and even proofreading talents in the future,” she said. “Bird Rock has a vibrant community, a fun history and a collective vision for our community’s future. We’d like the newsletter to highlight all of that.” ♦
