With 2011 drawing to a close, we at The Beachcomber would like to offer our thanks to the many people who support us.

Our readers, of course, come first. You’re a loyal bunch, and you help in untold ways. A phone call about a vehicle that flipped off the highway; a question about a sailboat listing in Quartermaster Harbor; a gentle poke when our plural noun doesn’t match our single verb; praise and encouragement for a well-liked article.

We’re also deeply grateful to our advertisers, many of whom support this paper week after week, through thick and thin. Our newspaper couldn’t exist without you. Thank you for your support.

We love that some of you put pen to paper, as it were, and write letters to The Beachcomber — comments about King County or fast drivers or cats that eat birds. Keep those letters coming!

And then there are the many individual writers and photographers for whom we’re particularly grateful — talented souls who help us with some of the heavy lifting around here.

Several writers regularly contribute commentaries, adding personality, perspective and sometimes much-needed levity. Will North, Kevin Joyce, Brian Brown and Greg (and sometimes Margaret) Wessel, thank you for keeping us laughing. Janie Starr and Juli Goetz Morser tackled a serious issue this year, writing about Islanders struggling to make ends meet. Their pieces were poignant and heartfelt.

A handful of reviewers wrote about theater this year, a delicate task in a small, artistic community. Thank you, Rebecca Wittman, Lauri Hennessey and Gene Carlson, for finding just the right touch.

Several Islanders make our sports page possible week in and week out. Parents Brian Brenno, Cheryl Pruett, Marian Easton, Jeff Johnson, Rita Allman, Karen O’Neil, Marrianne Metz Lipe, Bill Griffith, Steve Edele, Glenna Mileson and Janet Williams, as well as coaches Kevin Ross, Laura Johnson and Gary Means, have all helped us cover our young athletes this past year, as have all the coaches who answered late-night questions about their teams.

Finally, we want to thank the many talented photographers who supported us. Ray Pfortner, Robert Teagardin, Ralph Moore, Mike Urban, Casey Gripp and Tom Hughes lent us a hand — or a photo — from time to time. Rik Forschmiedt was consistently on the sidelines shooting photos for our sports pages. Thank you all for your contributions.

Our biggest shout-out goes to Lawrence Huggins, a fantastic photographer and good friend to The Beachcomber. He’s taken many photographs for us this year — from the fiery diva who played Carmen to a lovely shot of Emily Pruiksma and Shane Jewell. What a lucky day it was when Larry walked in our door. We’re deeply grateful to him.

All of you, from our readers to our advertisers to those who contribute to the paper, help to keep The Beachcomber at the heart of our Island community. We thank you all and look forward to our shared efforts and your ongoing support in 2012.