Community Board
Personals | Classifieds | Events Calendar | Revelry | Young & Wild | Community Aid
The Westrn’s Community Board is an integral component of our quarterly print newspaper.
Online life offers a million ways to swipe left or right. That swiping can be for anything, from finding a potential partner to buying your next great bird dog or trying to sell your favorite cooler in an algorithmic marketplace. But the reality of swiping undermines human connection, detaches us from time spent in person, and doesn’t always have our best interests at heart.
Printed four times per year, the Community Board offers a variety of ways for you to connect with a niche outdoor cohort. From personal ads to classifieds to celebrating outdoor adventures, we welcome you to participate in the collective effort of community-building with The Westrn.
All paid ads receive a copy of the printed paper!
How It Works
We charge a small fee for some Community Board submissions (personal ads, classified ads, event listings, and Revelry) to cover print space, materials, and to help us pay freelancers a fair market rate. Other submissions (Young & Wild and Community Aid) are free. It’s up to you to be creative and dig in!
For personal ads, classified ads, event listings, and Revelry submissions: Follow the first link to pay for your submission in our online store. Then, follow the second link to submit your ad in the corresponding online form. If your submission includes a photo, make sure it’s high-enough resolution to print well. Most smartphone photos should work, but we’ll let you know if it doesn’t fly.
For Young and Wild and Community Aid submissions: Follow the corresponding instructions and email us your submissions.
For all Community Board submissions: We will confirm your ad with you by March 20th. A copy of the paper is included with every submission, so send us your mailing address and you’ll receive your copy 5-10 days after our posted ship date.
BONUS: We’ll highlight a few of our favorite Community Board posts in our monthly online newsletter, The Roundup, so tune in.
All entries are subject to light proofreading for readability and errors.
Personal Ads
Shoot your shot! Find love. Grow your packout roster. Discover new adventure buddies, mentors, and friends. Connect on an individual level with like-minded outdoorsy folks.
And y’all, keep it PG-rated. Kids read this paper. Mind your manners.
Word count: 100 words max, including contact information of choice. We recommend an email address.
Photos (optional): Photos must be high resolution enough to print well in a small format! Most phone photos work, but we’ll let you know if it doesn’t fly.
Cost: $25
Step 1: Purchase a personal ad here.
Step 2: Submit a personal ad here.
Example: Personal Ad
Seeking: a fishing buddy or two for a llama pack trip in Yellowstone! I drew a lottery tag for a specific site and my friends dropped out. The trip runs from August 6-10, includes the use of four llamas, and starts in the Lamar Valley. I’m an experienced angler with moderate backpacking experience; you should be proficient in both. Trip will be under $400 per person not including travel. Reach out by July 25 at llamafishing@gmail.com. (77 words.)
Classified Ads
Welcome to our community market! Sell used gear. Promote a side hustle or a Kickstarter campaign. Advertise your guiding services or online class. Platform your blog, podcast, or Substack.
Word count: 50 words max, including contact information of choice. We recommend an email address.
Photos? Optional.
Cost: $25
Step 1: Purchase a classified ad here.
Step 2: Submit a classified ad here.
Example: Classified Ad
For sale: 18 y/o sorrel john mule. Mojo is a boot-scootin’, broke-as-they-come mountain man, ready to tackle any hunt you throw at him. Saddle broke, pack broke, pony broke, this good fella will lead you into the apocalypse without batting an eye. $10k obo. Contact Jenny, 867-5309. (49 words.)
Events Calendar
Boost turnout for your fundraiser, class, meetup, volunteer day, festival, or show.
Word count: Event title, date and time, location, and additional 30 words max.
Photos? Optional. We’ll include a few favorite photos in each Events section.
Cost: $50
Step 1: Purchase an event listing here.
Step 2: Submit an event listing here.
Example: Event Listing
May 1: Conservation Club Tea Party, 4:00 p.m., Some Bar in Sometown, Montana. Join the Conservation Club for an afternoon of Throat Coat brewed strong and chatter about the latest policy dramas and volunteer opportunities. (22 words.)
Revelry
Whether you’re bagging peaks, notching tags, or celebrating an outdoorsy first, send us a photo and a brief story. Revelry is also a space to celebrate others. Did your kid bag her first deer? Did a friend finish his first ultramarathon? Surprise them with a photo and a message. If you want to celebrate it, we want to share it.
Word count: 100 words max. First names and last initials required, full names also accepted.
Photos? Optional.
Cost: $25
Step 1: Purchase Revelry here.
Step 2: Submit Revelry here.
Example: Revelry
My dear friend Elise Y., you have been the most kick-ass hunting bud for SIX years now, and getting to be your hunting partner when you took your first bull elk was the highlight of my season. You took the ethical shot, at the right time, and I’ll never forget it. Congratulations, you deserve it. Looking forward to next season, when we hopefully fill elk tags with bows in hand on public land! The dream!
xoxo, NKQ (74 words.)
Young & Wild
Bugling bulls in colored pencil? Bighorn sheep in finger paints? Articles and poems? Yes please! If you’re raising the next great outdoor writer, artist, or photographer, The Westrn wants to platform their work. We’re big fans of the littlest among us, and we believe their voices and talents matter as much as the big voices in the room.
Word count: 500 words max. Include first name, last initial, and age of creator.
Photos? Photography/artwork optional.
Cost: Free! Rally your kiddos.
How to Submit: Send your Youth entries directly to editor@thewestrn.com with YOUTH in the headline of the email. We’ll send kids their own copy of the paper, on the house.
Example: Young & Wild
Community Aid
Let The Westrn connect you with a caring outdoor community. We define “community aid” in a few ways:
Nonprofits seeking volunteers
Disaster relief efforts
Scholarship opportunities
Free outdoor educational resources
Donor drives in the outdoor space
Any submissions soliciting cash directly will be disregarded, although we will platform GoFundMe campaigns.
Word count: 100 words max.
Photos? Optional.
Cost: Free.
How to Submit: Send your Community Aid entries directly to editor@thewestrn.com with AID in the headline of the email.
Want to submit something but unsure if it fits? Shoot us an email at editor@thewestrn.com.