“Aging isn’t fair—but it sure isn’t for sissies either.”

That’s one important lesson that resonates with Kevin VanGundy as he reflects on the past decade of being publisher of BEACON Senior News.

“It wasn’t until I got involved with the BEACON that I realized what an ageist society we live in,” he said. “We celebrate youth constantly. While youth is a cherished commodity, our readers have ‘been there, done that’ and are moving on to bigger and better things. Life isn’t over at retirement—far from it. It’s our job to show readers what other people are doing and how it’s also possible for them.”

In addition to being a channel for inspiration, the BEACON is a champion of aging, encouraging our readers—Western Slope residents age 50 and older—to defy the stigmas and embrace the knowledge and experiences that come with getting older.

“We’ve done stories about 90-year-olds jumping out of airplanes and new retirees summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro,” VanGundy said. “One of the craziest things we’ve done is when we published a story about seniors getting tattoos. We invited people to enter a contest where we paid for them to get the BEACON logo tattooed on their bodies. We selected three winners at random and they actually did it.”

The response came as a surprise to VanGundy and the BEACON staff, but it was another lesson learned about working with seniors.

“You’re not going to get through old age without a sense of humor,” said VanGundy, noting the popularity of the publication’s monthly Laughing Matters column.

It’s more than the jokes and inspirational stories that put aging stereotypes to bed. It’s also the evident support of local organizations and initiatives, many of which are senior driven. Remember how funding for the Fruita Community Center started with a group of seniors knocking on doors and collecting cans? The same can be said about Montrose seniors who organize dining sites and deliver meals to homebound seniors.

As the voice of area boomers and seniors, it’s the BEACON’s job to recognize and celebrate these achievements and to highlight its audience’s valuable contributions to the workplace, economy, family and local programs.

“We try to share stories that inspire our readers and hopefully give them ways to get involved,” VanGundy said. “They might not run a marathon, but maybe they’ll join the mall walking program. They might not be able to donate hundreds of hours working with kids in a classroom, but perhaps they can volunteer once a week. Sometimes people just need a push. They need guidance. They need a beacon.”

BEACON beginnings

When Susan Capps started the Senior Beacon in 1987, the publication was aptly named, its mission characterized by a beam of light guiding and shining on people age 50 and older in western Colorado.

“My goal was to encourage people not to feel like they were retired, but to feel like they were starting a whole new beginning to their life,” said Capps, who was looking for her own fresh start when she moved to the Grand Valley from Denver.

“I had two small children under the age of 5, and I was in a marriage that wasn’t working out. I was worried we wouldn’t survive here.”

Capps learned that Exxon had recently pulled out of the area, which upset the local economy and left a lot of homes empty. With the oil field business gone, the chamber of commerce set their sights on attracting another prosperous group of residents to the valley: retirees.

“Since this area was being marketed as a senior community, it needed something that would project it as such,” Capps said. “I decided a publication that encouraged community would be a good thing.”

Capps’ Senior Beacon was one of a dozen or so in a network of franchises started by Gerry Bliese in Colorado Springs. Capps’ first issue, published in September 1987, promised to focus on readers 50 and older through “relevant news, cultural information, warmhearted and interesting stories, a smile…and moments of joy...”

Capps said support from advertisers and the senior community was evident from day one.

“It made me feel part of Grand Junction very quickly,” she said.

The paper flourished, quickly expanding into Delta and Montrose and eventually breaking off from the franchise that was under new ownership. About 10 years in, it became “Best Years Beacon” in an attempt to avoid using the word “senior,” then simply “The Beacon” once it was more established.

“My biggest accomplishment was that the paper came out every month,” Capps said, “and I was proud of it.”

But the paper’s success didn’t come without challenges.

“There were times that I worried about not having enough advertising to support the issue. There were times when I felt I was spending too much time on the paper and my kids were thinking I was just the family blur,” she said.

But Capps’ work with the BEACON and her roots in the senior community resulted in friendships that were more like family.

“[Seniors] had so much to offer me personally,” she said, adding that there were always people who were like grandparents to her kids. “I learned about canning, how to enjoy my time…how to cook, sew, travel and have fun. I benefited all the time from their wisdom.”

No matter what obstacles Capps encountered, the BEACON always provided—she even met her husband, Jet, through the paper.

“The paper was a complete blessing,” she said. “Those are the things that made it feel like the paper provided everything I ever needed.”

A new era

Capps devoted two decades of her life to seniors. She shaped the BEACON into a trusted resource for this growing demographic with stories about local people doing exceptional things, making a difference and living their golden years in ways they might never have imagined.

When the time came for Capps to make a fresh start once again, she passed the torch.

“Susan was very passionate about working with seniors,” VanGundy said. “The more she talked about them, the more she sold me on buying the paper.”

VanGundy saw the potential for growth—not just in terms of engaging content and ad revenue— but also a growing need as Baby Boomers were becoming seniors and retiring on the Western Slope.

He bought the BEACON in May 2008—just before the recession hit.

“We grew, but those years were tough,” said VanGundy.

Again, the BEACON provided and persevered—not just the monthly newspaper, but also its ancillary products, such as the annual resource directory and BeaconFest Senior Fair.

“The most fun I have every year is at BeaconFest,” VanGundy said. “It’s a wild event and it gives our staff the opportunity to interact with a lot of our readers and advertisers.”

Montrose got its first taste of BeaconFest in 2011. Back then, the paper was bursting at the seams with stories and advertising from the three counties it enveloped. Eventually, the decision was made to break the BEACON in two, granting the Montrose/Delta area its own edition in 2015.

“We think of the Western Slope as one community, but it was hard providing sufficient coverage of all the amazing people and events in three different counties,” VanGundy said. “We have a great fan base—our readers like to write and call in and tell us how we’re doing. We still get comments about how they miss the stories about Grand Junction or Montrose and Delta, but they can always subscribe or view them online.”

A BEACON to guide the way

The future is bright for the senior industry, which is great news for the BEACON and its readers.

“Baby Boomers are redefining retirement in America,” VanGundy said. “Not just from a business or social standpoint, but from a government standpoint. The diversity and number of services we’ll need as we age is impressive.”

No matter how you choose to age, the BEACON will be there every step of the way.

“It wouldn’t be without the talents of our wonderful staff, our faithful readers and loyal advertisers,” he said. “If you like what we’ve done with the BEACON in the last 30 years, wait until you see what’s in store for the next 10.”