Earlier this year, Howard Shelton was shot on the job. He is a carrier for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The 60-year-old was delivering to customers on his route when his car was stolen and he was shot.
His customers set up a GoFundMe to help with his expenses while out of work. It was the first time in 20 years Shelton missed work. His customers lauded his work ethic and standard of care—he’s known for quietly placing the newspaper instead of throwing it, as to not wake his customers. His motto is, “If the paper is printed, it’s going to get delivered—no matter what’s going on.”
Dedicated men and women like Shelton deliver the newspaper – and with it, key information about their local community – to their customers every day. They are a vital arm of the news media industry and imperative to a free and robust press. Shelton is not the first carrier to make news. Last year we profiled a list of heartwarming stories about carriers who went above and beyond the call of duty.
On Saturday, October 13, International Newspaper Carrier Day, we want to take a moment to recognize and honor these hard workers. This is a salute to the hundreds of thousands of newspaper carriers that are necessary to get the news out. They diligently go about their jobs before most of us are even awake. They do not get the glory of bylines or recognition of broadcasters. But the unfortunate reality is, they are risking their safety to make sure we get the news, and for that they deserve our sincere thanks.
To celebrate these hard workers, please run our Carrier Day ad.
Contributing writer
