While most lakes in the papers readership have local stores, two area lakes with an estimated 200 - 250 summer homes do not have access to a store. In that particular area the people probably go to town for supplies only once or twice a week so they were a prime target for us, said John Vickerstaff, director of reader sales and service. Since residents may not get out to pick up a paper, the paper is brought out to the lakes.
Residents can sign up for the whole summer or purchase by single-copy.
A number of people sign up for the whole summer and there is usually a boost in the weekend single copy buy. On individual days, Vickerstaff said the paper has sold as few as 75 papers and as many as 150 via boat delivery to the summer cottages. A second method of targeting lake vacationers is to sell not to summer lake houses but to house boats. Last summer was the papers first attempt at the houseboating crowd on Shuswap Lake in British Columbia s interior. There are an estimated 1,000 houseboats available for rent during the summer months.