Dear Members,

 

The Florida Public Relations Association is the oldest organization of public relations professionals in the United States. Your membership provides you with the benefit of Professional Development, Leadership Opportunities, Accreditation/Certification, Professional Recognition, Professional Resources, and networking with your fellow PR practitioners. Have you renewed your membership? Do you know others in the field of PR not taking full advantage of their professional development? Renew today and spread the news of the "wise investment you have made in your future".

 

What is the value of your membership? Let me take a few lines and highlight just a few. During the course of the year your chapter will host several opportunities to develop your professional skills. Currently, Jim Frankowiak and Rebeca Mueller are working diligently on reaching our goal for new APR's. During the spring you have the opportunity to have your projects recognized in the Local Image Awards and maybe even at the state level.....Oh, are you stumped on a project? Need an objective opinion? You can reach out to any number of your fellow members to solicit help, many of whom have probably had the same experience.

 

When is the last time you visited (actually logged into) www.fpra.org or your own chapter website www.fprapolk.org? Both of these sites can be a valuable tool in your mission. I just read a White Paper written on "Managing A Continuing Crisis" written by Roger Pynn, APR, CPRC who was a recent speaker during one of our luncheons. This article and many other White Papers can be accessed from the state website under the Resource Directory. What about your own chapter website? Here you can learn "5 things to NOT do when writing a Press Release" and many more articles, you can also access many more useful links and interact with your fellow members. Now ask yourself, am I really using all the tools afforded me with my membership?

 

While networking is a valuable tool for everyone, it's not the only thing we use to base spending our (or our company's) hard earned dollars, there must be more. I hope these few lines of type will encourage you to dig deeper into your membership "Discovering FPRA's Treasures". Remember our own theme; Public Relations: Every Organization's Hidden Treasure". Don't let your treasure stay hidden, use your membership to your advantage. There are 60 other professional members in your chapter ready, willing and able to give you a hand when you need it and a wealth of other resources just a mouse click away.

 

Finally, are you providing content AND context? Many executives in the C-Suite expect the PR professional to provide useful content that will help promote their organization. When dealing with the media we are expected (and do so quite well) to provide the context of the story. But are we providing this context to our leaders? Educating our leaders on the context of the story you have developed will bring out the "treasure" they have in PR.

 

For more information on your chapter visit the website at www.fprapolk.org and if you haven't already, "Like" your chapter on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DickPopePolkCountyFPRA and follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FPRAPolk. Oh, and join the discussion at your chapter's Linked In page.

 

Sincerely,

 

Danny Kushmer

 

 

Our chapter is supporting the Project Fill-a-Bucket (now Fill-a-Bag all year long) and we will be collecting in November and until the PRowl to put them together on December 14 in the private room at Red Elephant beginning at 5:30 PM.  You can bring your donations to the meeting on November 16 and any CenterState Bank or Carla's Hair Design Studio, 6645 S Florida Avenue, Ste. 7 (Christina).  Center State has banks locations all through Polk County.

 

The items needed are fewer this year because they just can't do the buckets any longer so these "bags" will be given out all year long:

• Shampoo and conditioner
• Bath soap
• Deodorant
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Brushes and combs
• Wash cloths

I purchased one of each item at Dollar Tree for two bags for demonstration at the bank and Carla's and paid $20.00 for enough of each for two bags.  We will also take donations to FPRA and purchase the items for you or each child is given a jacket sized for each child.  Monetary donations will be accepted to make those purchases.  Please make checks payable to the Polk Education Foundation with Fill-A-Bag (jackets) noted on the memo line.  Monetary donations will generate a thank you letter with the Foundation's 501(c)(3) determination for tax purposes.

 

-Shirley 

 

 Thank you for renewing!

I would like to extend a big thank you to everyone who has already renewed. We have had 39 membership renewals, resulting in a 64 percent renewal rate! 

 

Some of the feedback I received from renewed members highlight the value of FPRA, "I have gotten jobs, learned remarkable skills, and made life-long friends because of FPRA and the DP/PC chapter," and "...the benefits far outweigh the annual membership." So, for those of you who haven't had the opportunity to renew yet, take your colleagues words to heart: FPRA is one of the best investments you can make in your career!

 

How would you like to win an iPad? What about a $200 Visa gift card?

 

FPRA is showing how much it treasures members through a great recruitment offer--renew your FPRA membership and find ONE NEW member to join by December 31, 2011, and YOU and the NEW MEMBER will be entered to win one of three gold treasures!

• Treasure Your Spirit with a New ipad ($500 value)
• Treasure Your Education with $300 of FPRA Professional Development Bucks*
• Choose Your Own Treasure with a $200 Visa Gift Card

 If you haven't renewed yet, now is the perfect time. If your company or organization can't pay your membership dues this year because of budget cutbacks, consider paying as an Individual Professional and remember the non-voting Associate Member option if you are temporarily not actively engaged in a public relations position.

 

As always, contact any of the board members if you have any membership questions. Thank you for being a part of the treasure that is our Dick Pope/Polk County FPRA chapter.

 

-Jessica, Membership Chair