RB Sunrise Rotarian Gary Jaus spoke at our meeting this morning. He's a former police detective, and he showed how a murder case was taken from event to conviction - all in half an hour (faster than CSI, I'd say). Fascinating stuff.
We had the editor of the RB Sun sitting in the room watching all this unfold, and he was getting more and more excited as the meeting evolved. I think he walked away with four or five story ideas, and I expect he'll be giving us more visibility in the future.
Investing in improving relationships with media folks always pays off handsomely.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
Happiness is getting your stories published.
Yes, I'm at it again. This story just went out to the press.
Also had a big success today, meeting with the publishers of two area newspapers, both of whom will be making extra efforts to carry our stories in the future. One of them will be attending tomorrow's meeting, and including our women in a special photo for an issue next month.
Also had a big success today, meeting with the publishers of two area newspapers, both of whom will be making extra efforts to carry our stories in the future. One of them will be attending tomorrow's meeting, and including our women in a special photo for an issue next month.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE “WELCOME TO RB Life is never dull at the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary club, and members have had a chance to interact with service dogs, bell choirs, fire fighters, and police detectives. And that’s just some of the recent guests. Still, perhaps one of the more interesting visitors was a robot who attended breakfast last week when the Poway High School Robotics Club appeared with Team Spyder #1622. Team Spyder is affiliated with First Robotics, which coordinates all such student programs around the world. Three students were also there demonstrating how some smart kids can take an idea and what some might consider a bunch of spare parts, and turn it all into something from a science fiction novel. “The idea is to take the robot, use it to pick up this inflated pool toy, and drop it on the pylon over there.” explained team member Zack McClure. Teacher Roger Dohm told the club’s story: “Our mission is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders. We seek to engage them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that encourage innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication and leadership.” McClure further explained how the team acquires corporate sponsorships (Spyder wears corporate logos, much as on a NASCAR driver’s uniform). Various schools compete for prizes and bragging rights over what their robot can do. Club president Steve Sayler turned that all into English by observing; “They let high school kids build robots. COOL!” Team Spyder can be reached at rdohm@powayusd.com. More in-depth information about First Robotics is available online at www.usfirst.org. The Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary club can be found online at www.rbsunrise.org. The internet can be reached by using the robot on your desk called a computer. |
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| From left to right – Spyder, Zack McClure, Julie Gattenio and David Peabody prove to the members of the RB Sunrise Rotary that they’re never too old to learn something new. |
Thursday, February 14, 2008
No wonder I'm tired all the time!
Rotary seems to come into my life in waves, it seems. After a month or two with little to talk about, I suddenly have four stories that went out to the press this week. Another five or six are waiting to be written, including the fire fighters from station 33 who visited us this past Tuesday.
Last night I got a story out about a fundraising effort going on in Thailand, and a speaker who came to our club. This piece went out to our local press, in coordination with the Rotary Club of Bangkok South.
February 13, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RB Sunrise Rotary Hosts Thailand Clinic Day Care Speaker
As participants in of a worldwide organization, members of Rotary International always have an opportunity to make new friends from around the globe.
This past week, the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary was hosting William Fantozzi, a visiting Rotarian from the Rotary Club of Bangkok South in Thailand. His goal that morning was to make the community leaders in the room a little less comfortable by exposing them to the overwhelming need for building a medical clinic near the Cambodian border.
"Thai villagers moved to this location about 15 years ago when the government offered them free land. What no one knew at the time was there were live mines still in place from the Khmer Rouge war era." he said. The distributed land was in a buffer zone for active land mines.
To earn an income, villagers must farm in or travel into mine-affected areas to produce goods for resale in Thailand. To nobody’s surprise, an exceptional percentage of village inhabitants are affected by land mine accidents. At least one seems to occur each week.
“Our goal is to help build a day clinic to help these people” said the ex-patriot American. “Overnight we could provide medical care for almost 600 people in the village – people who now get no medical care at all, or have to travel a great distance to have someone help with their illnesses and wounds.”
Fantozzi continued “We've already completed about 80% of the structure , and the local villagers have put a great deal of personal time into the project. They really believe in this as a way of making their lives better, and are putting every available dollar they can personally raise and donate into this important project.” A total of $25,000 is needed to complete the project.
“We take local medical care for granted in this country” said RB Sunrise Rotary Club president Steve Sayler. “If we, as Americans, hope to continue our claim to moral leadership in the world, then it’s imperative that we dig deep in our hearts – and our wallets – to help those who are negatively impacted by events that we helped put into motion 40 years ago.”
Mr. Fantozzi believes so strongly in this program that he made an unusual offer; “If anyone makes a minimum donation of $1,000.00 (USD) I will personally pay for them to stay for three nights at our 4-star resort and elephant reserve. If you give $5,000, I’ll make it a week at the resort!” The property (http://www.resort.co.th/) is 400 acres with plenty of room to relax and enjoy the mountains of Thailand. Donations to this cause are considered tax-deductible, according to IRS regulations.
Mr. Fantozzi can be reached via E-Mail at William.Fantozzi@gmail.com. The Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary club can be found online at http://www.rbsunrise.org/.
Thai Villagers among the mine fields near the Cambodian border collect vegetables for dinner.
Thai children mug for the camera near their unfinished medical clinic
Last night I got a story out about a fundraising effort going on in Thailand, and a speaker who came to our club. This piece went out to our local press, in coordination with the Rotary Club of Bangkok South.
February 13, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RB Sunrise Rotary Hosts Thailand Clinic Day Care Speaker
As participants in of a worldwide organization, members of Rotary International always have an opportunity to make new friends from around the globe.
This past week, the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary was hosting William Fantozzi, a visiting Rotarian from the Rotary Club of Bangkok South in Thailand. His goal that morning was to make the community leaders in the room a little less comfortable by exposing them to the overwhelming need for building a medical clinic near the Cambodian border.
"Thai villagers moved to this location about 15 years ago when the government offered them free land. What no one knew at the time was there were live mines still in place from the Khmer Rouge war era." he said. The distributed land was in a buffer zone for active land mines.
To earn an income, villagers must farm in or travel into mine-affected areas to produce goods for resale in Thailand. To nobody’s surprise, an exceptional percentage of village inhabitants are affected by land mine accidents. At least one seems to occur each week.
“Our goal is to help build a day clinic to help these people” said the ex-patriot American. “Overnight we could provide medical care for almost 600 people in the village – people who now get no medical care at all, or have to travel a great distance to have someone help with their illnesses and wounds.”
Fantozzi continued “We've already completed about 80% of the structure , and the local villagers have put a great deal of personal time into the project. They really believe in this as a way of making their lives better, and are putting every available dollar they can personally raise and donate into this important project.” A total of $25,000 is needed to complete the project.
“We take local medical care for granted in this country” said RB Sunrise Rotary Club president Steve Sayler. “If we, as Americans, hope to continue our claim to moral leadership in the world, then it’s imperative that we dig deep in our hearts – and our wallets – to help those who are negatively impacted by events that we helped put into motion 40 years ago.”
Mr. Fantozzi believes so strongly in this program that he made an unusual offer; “If anyone makes a minimum donation of $1,000.00 (USD) I will personally pay for them to stay for three nights at our 4-star resort and elephant reserve. If you give $5,000, I’ll make it a week at the resort!” The property (http://www.resort.co.th/) is 400 acres with plenty of room to relax and enjoy the mountains of Thailand. Donations to this cause are considered tax-deductible, according to IRS regulations.
Mr. Fantozzi can be reached via E-Mail at William.Fantozzi@gmail.com. The Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary club can be found online at http://www.rbsunrise.org/.
Thai Villagers among the mine fields near the Cambodian border collect vegetables for dinner.
Thai children mug for the camera near their unfinished medical clinicSaturday, February 9, 2008
Thank you, Margot Jackson
I've long said that publicity is the gift that keeps on giving. Imagine my surprise to open this morning's North County Times and find a love note in Margot Jackson's column, observing "You won't find a friendlier group to have breakfast with than the Sunrise Rotary Club, so rise early and join them at 7:15 a.m. Tuesday at the Country Club of Rancho Bernardo, 12280 Greens East Road. It's only $14.50 for breakfast and the speaker of the week begins at 8 a.m.
She then goes on to tell about our next speaker.
She's a nice lady - I must remember to send her my thanks.
She then goes on to tell about our next speaker.
She's a nice lady - I must remember to send her my thanks.
Friday, February 8, 2008
My cup runneth over!
Here I am in the middle of my agency's busy season. We're writing press releases, drafting newsletters, creating web sites, developing PowerPoint presentations, and researching marketing plans. There are several direct mail campaigns in the works, and I just came up with a killer sales promotion today.
In the midst of all this, six press releases need to be written for the RB Sunrise Rotary club.
I'm not complaining, mind you. It's just a headache to craft them A) in the middle of everything else and B) to distribute them in a way that doesn't annoy my editors.
After I finished developing my PowerPoint for PETS (three weeks from yesterday), and sent it, along with my bio and photo, to the printer (superdave's. This is a name?), I took a bit of time to get the first one written. Five more to go. I figure I'll take my daughter's advice, and eat this elephant one bite at a time.
Today's contribution was as follows:
In the midst of all this, six press releases need to be written for the RB Sunrise Rotary club.
I'm not complaining, mind you. It's just a headache to craft them A) in the middle of everything else and B) to distribute them in a way that doesn't annoy my editors.
After I finished developing my PowerPoint for PETS (three weeks from yesterday), and sent it, along with my bio and photo, to the printer (superdave's. This is a name?), I took a bit of time to get the first one written. Five more to go. I figure I'll take my daughter's advice, and eat this elephant one bite at a time.
Today's contribution was as follows:
Rides and Smiles and RB
“We can’t aid every organization, but we help where we can” says Steve Sayler, president of the RB Sunrise Rotary Club.
His comment was in response to the question “Is it true you help anyone who comes to Rotary”, and reflected the importance of the group’s community outreach during fundraising programs.
The most recent recipient of RB Sunrise’s largesse would be Rides & Smiles - a volunteer-based transportation program and a non-denominational division of Jewish Family Services. It works with adults 60+, in the North County Inland area serving seniors in the 92127, 92128, 92129, 92131, and 92064 zip codes. Additional information about Rides and Smiles is available at (858) 674-1124.
“Our program continues to grow because of the generosity of groups like Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary” says program coordinator Marilyn Greenblatt. Since Rides and Smiles started, it has grown from 12 riders and five drivers to over 250 riders and 100 drivers.
“This program is so popular that they have a waiting list of 40 riders” says club president-elect Kendra Jeffcoat, adding: “Since 1988, our club has been working to help those most in need within the community. It’s truly a pleasure to be able to help a worthwhile organization like Rides and Smiles.”
Ms. Greenblatt and her son Daniel attended the Rotary breakfast to discuss the Rides & Smiles web-based scheduling system, and to spotlight their efforts to generate 30 more drivers and volunteers for the Poway-based organization. During Rotary’s Centennial, RB Sunrise Rotary sponsored Rides & Smiles as their annual project by providing volunteers, drivers, and financial support.
Rides & Smiles – a division of Jewish Family Services – can be found online at www.jfssd.org. The Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary club can be found online at www.rbsunrise.org.
The RB Sunrise Rotary meets each Tuesday morning at 7:15 am at the Country Club of Rancho Bernardo, 12280 Greens East Road,
The public is also invited to review the blog of Paul Gorman, one of the club’s newest members, as he traces his adventure in joining and participating in Rotary. It can be found at www.redbadgerotarian.blogspot.com. Another blog, maintained by club publicity chair
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Speaking in El Cajon
On Thursday morning, I spoke at the El Cajon Sunrise Rotary. My topic was how to increase publicity for your Rotary club.
Since this is the 50 minute presentation that I give at PETS, I had to shorten it considerably for the 20 minutes I have as a speaker at a club. It ran a little long, but nobody seemed to mind. Since this meeting took place at 7am, I suspect they slept through it anyway.
Since this is the 50 minute presentation that I give at PETS, I had to shorten it considerably for the 20 minutes I have as a speaker at a club. It ran a little long, but nobody seemed to mind. Since this meeting took place at 7am, I suspect they slept through it anyway.
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