Share your story, gain publicity, make a difference!

from now through September 11th, we will be promoting a series of activities under the theme, “Serve to Remember. Remember to Serve.” We encourage you to join in this national call to service by finding ways to tie planned activities and events to this theme. Visit http://www.nationalservice.gov/pdf/katrina_project_toolkit.pdf to access the “Serve to Remember” toolkit, which contains a variety of tips, ideas, and templates to help you generate awareness and media interest at the state and local level.

Below is a list of the activities taking place at the national level:

• Gulf Coast Tour, August 28-30: Members of the Corporation’s Board of Directors, along with members of the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation, will tour a series of national service projects in Louisiana and Mississippi to gain a better understanding of our programs’ unique role and impact, and the continued need for volunteers in the region.
• National Service Anniversary Report: On Monday, August 28, the Corporation will release its one-year report on the contributions of national service programs to relief and recovery efforts. To date, more than 36,000 national service participants have contributed more than 1.6 million hours of service to relief and recovery efforts, and leveraged an additional 92,000 community volunteers.
• Media Outreach: The Office of Public Affairs is reaching out to national print and broadcast media to help ensure that the “volunteer story” is told within the media coverage of these two anniversaries. To help garner coverage, we are promoting the following:
• Service Projects – Through our earlier request for information, we have identified nearly 100 service projects or commemorative events that you have planned around the Katrina or 9/11 anniversary. We have been promoting these events through media advisories as part of a nationwide serve-a-thon that pays tribute to the compassionate response that took place in the wake of both Katrina and 9/11. You can promote your local service project as part of this national effort.
• Research – Several pieces of research examine the effects disasters have on Americans’ civic behaviors. A compendium of related research is included in the toolkit mentioned above.
• Compelling Stories of Service – Through your earlier submissions, we have been identifying unique perspectives and spokespeople to help demonstrate national services’ role in disaster response and community rebuilding. While we have identified several volunteer stories related to Katrina, we are still looking for stories related to 9/11. If you know of an individual who decided to volunteer or join a national service program as a result or 9/11, please send their name, contact information, and a brief description of their compelling story to smaynard@cns.gov.

If you have specific questions related to these “Serve to Remember” ideas, please feel free to contact one of the following Corporation staff:

• Siobhan Dugan at sdugan@cns.gov
• Sandy Scott at sscott@cns.gov
• Shannon Maynard at smaynard@cns.gov

Want more publicity for your organization? Let me help!

Well, I feel like I've been away forever - and actually we were on vacation for most of 8 weeks, which was really great! (Of course, I had withdrawals from my computer - and only managed to find an internet cafe twice - but I guess it just goes to show you can get used to anything!)

Seriously, the vacation was great - we were in the high French Alps, visited Mont. Blanc (the highest mountain in Europe - and an incredible and imposing sight - even for a girl from the Rockie mountains), went to Switzerland and visited Italy by way of the very long tunnel that goes under Mont Blanc.

But, it's great to be back! I've rolled up my sleeves an have finally gotten the Website going. The nameservers haven't propegated yet, but you can find it tomorrow or the next day here:
http://www.activistguide.com

Also, now that I've got the Website up, I'm ready to start getting your press releases and information about what's going on. In fact, I'm hoping to be able to use the site to help you get extra publicity for your program!

Here's how: I've set up a media room on the Website, and I've listed the issues that I believe are the most critical to the work you're doing. Now I'm looking for "experts" on those issues.
(Um - that would be you!) Here's what it involves...you fill out a form, telling me a little bit about you, your organization and the issue(s) you're working on. You give me contact information and a little bit of background information and also answer some basic questions about how you're interested in working with the press...for example, personal stories from your members, photographs, the results of any studies, surveys, etc. that you're doing. Then, as I get requests from the media that matches your profile, I'll give them your contact information, and you'll take it from there.

Also, I want your press releases, information about what you're doing and anything that might be of interest - to other VISTAs or to the media. I'll be posting them on the Website and on the blog - to help you get free publicity, and to let people know about the wonderful job you're doing.

If you're interested and can't find the Website, just drop me an email or post a comment and I'll get back to you asap!

Nominate your members, give literacy a helping hand!

Thanks to Steve Soskin for this announcement:

Opportunity to nominate your volunteers, members or partners for

Patterson PageTurner Award (www.pattersonpageturner.org
<http://www.pattersonpageturner.org/> )

In 2005, author James Patterson launched the Patterson PageTurner Awards
to recognize individuals, organizations and companies that are
creatively spreading the excitement of books and reading. In honor of
the selected winners, First Book also distributed 1,000 books to
literacy programs serving disadvantaged children selected by each
finalist.

This year, the PageTurner Awards will provide $500,000 to various groups
or individuals to help support their tremendous efforts in the field of
literacy, and First Book will continue to donate books as well.

Please nominate your members, volunteers, organizations and corporate
whose commitment and dedication to reading and education helps shape the
literacy landscape.

For information on the Awards, and to apply on-line, visit
www.pattersonpageturner.org <http://www.pattersonpageturner.org/> . The
application deadline is October 16, 2006