Gallup Y Journey Over the Years
By Chuck Van Drunen You are holding the 200th issue of the Gallup Journey! This Free Community Magazine was founded in 2004 with intention of highlighting the beauty, the gifts, the talent, and generally speaking anything positive that exists in our region. For the most part we have been faithful to that mission over the years, though at times we have had to navigate some rough waters where local politics, personal opinions, and community issues have had to be balanced. . .sometimes precariously. At the core, however, the Gallup Journey was designed to be fueled by community members’ voices that needed a place for expression for their passions, involvements, and opinions. On top of that it has always been the intention of the magazine to showcase and intrigue our visitors to Gallup that there is something special here worth checking out, worth seeing, worth a day, a week, or perhaps worth even living here for a lifetime? From the beginning we have delivered magazines to our local hotels, restaurants, and businesses in a quest to be available to locals and visitors alike. But in the very early days we used to deliver a magazine to every home in Gallup. It took a crew of us 3 full days to do so primarily on our bicycles….rain, snow or shine. Some other major highlights in the history of the Gallup Journey include:
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Previous owner, Nate Haveman, being named Businessman of the Year in 2007. The magazine being recognized by the New Mexico State Legislature in 2010 by State Representative Patty Lundstrom for it’s “Positive local journalism”. From 2005-present producing the Inter-Tribal Ceremonial magazine From 2012-present producing the City of Gallup’s visitor guide Every January issue dedicated to the “Arts” Creating the “Gallup’s Best” awards Creating the “GLP” bumper sticker Creating the 12s Running series
Over the years we’ve received an asunder of letters and comments, many good, some not so much, but we’ve listened to all of them. But my favorite letter I ever received was actually the very first. I enjoyed it so much because it embodied a certain hope that existed and still exists with the purpose of the publication. I’ve kept the letter for 17 years in a folder that I apparently cannot find at the moment. But with the help of current owners Daisy & Jason I was able to dig through the physical archives and alas have found it: 40 March 2021
