Before we had our first Communications/Image Committee meeting I was nervous. There hasn’t been an active Public Relations or Marketing Committee since I have been a member. Communications/Image is a new committee, with no preordained guidelines established by the club. Where does the head of such a committee begin? A small voice inside said: start with what you know.

I know marketing and public relations (PR) need a lot of direction. There are three members on the Communications/Image Committee along with me, so we broke down Marketing/PR into three areas: Press Release, Program Focus Report (PFR), Image Award Book; the first two are actually part of the third. Kate Creasey has experience doing press releases so that was an easy match up. Brenda Dunlap will handle PFR’s and Anne Knight will take on the Image Award Book. I will continue doing the Soropti-Scoop newsletter, our club <sisequim.com> and Garden Show <sequimgardenshow.com> websites.

As most of you know I am a person who enjoys words. A phrase to describe our Communications/Image Committee members came to mind: Media Mavens. The first definition I found for maven is: “someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field.” How cool is that! We will do our best to show that we fit this description.

All nervousness I originally had about chairing this committee, melted away during our first meeting. Each member came up with great ideas. I asked the members to help promote the use of the NWR website. Anne suggested that we write up a step-by-step procedure for logging on. Brenda suggested that we write up something that explains about program focus reports. Kate volunteered to be the secretary for the committee, taking notes and distributing the “Media Maven Mini Minutes” via email.

Just after I wrote up the log in instructions for the NWR website, I happened to look at the July issue of the Soroptimist magazine. Inside I found instructions for logging in to the Members Only area of the SIA website. What great timing!

At our October business meeting, the Communications/Image Committee handed out a packet to each member; the packet included three items. The first is a brochure that tells about our PR philosophy. It explains the importance of the Program Focus Report and how it is a tool for NWR NewsOnline, Soroptimist Celebrating Success, and of course, the Image Award Book. The second is a double sided form with the instructions for logging in to the Members Only area of the NWR website on one side and the instructions for logging in to the SIA website on the other. The third item is a flyer about a contest. You can read more about that in the Internet Coordinator article in this issue of the Soropti-Scoop.

As I often send a copy of a proposed publication to Sally Sue Barry to proof, I sent her the PR brochure to review. No surprise, her keen eyes caught an error. But what was a surprise is Sally Sue’s comments about the brochure: “It really explains the PR. aspect very well. PFRs is a new concept to me, tho I have, of course, heard of it. Now I understand better.” It was interesting that after nearly 29 years as a Soroptimist, even Sally Sue could learn from what we put together. It confirmed for me, the value of what our committee is doing.

Kate and Brenda both have digital cameras, so you will be seeing these shutterbugs in action at club meetings and events. Kate has already submitted several press releases which you have probably seen in the newspaper. Any committee that has need of getting something into the newspaper, please contact Kate Creasey. Brenda Dunlap is in charge of Program Focus Reports; she will be contacting committee heads with sample of PFR’s. Anne Knight will be contacting members about items for the Image Award Book.

I am proud to be chair of this committee, and I am grateful to the other Media Mavens for helping to create the guidelines for this important committee.

Kathy Purcell
Communications/Image Committee Chair