State Programs: CC | Priority Area | LL | NEWSLET | PR | RR | W&M | WW | YT

Public Relations

SPM: Crystal Frederickson

Plan of Action MNJOTS CIP | Fall State CIP | Winter State CIP Pin Recipient Sample Press Release Meeting Notice Sample Press Release Project Sample Press Release WT Week: Proclamation | Press Release Program Evaluation Summary LPM Monthly Report Outstanding LPM Nomination Form Project of the Trimester

Let's make some noise!

The "how-to" in utilizing your community assets: the local paper, cable network, radio, TV and businesses are found in this area. Learn ways to spread Women of Today news! Founder's Day is celebrated on July 1 and Women of Today Week is celebrated in September. This is another national programming area.

As you publicize your chapter’s meetings, socials, projects, and events, be sure to include the following MNWT & USWT events on your chapter’s 2012 calendar:

• MNWT Annual Convention – May 18-20, 2012 in Hinckley, MN
• Publicize awards your chapter or members received at Winter State – you can use this Press Release Template
• Toothbrush Tuesday – Tuesday, January 31, 2012 (M-Event)
• Ladies’ Night Out – Tuesday, April 17, 2012
• Your chapter’s events and meetings!

USWT FOUNDER’S DAY: JULY 1, 2012

Women of Today members everywhere celebrate the founding of our favorite volunteer organization on this day! After you hold your event, submit your Founders’ Day Form to the USWT Public Relations director (you can email the MNWT PR SPM at pr@mnwt.org and she will forward it on to the USWT PR Director).

Some ideas about events to hold include: dinner, bowling, walk-n-talk, ice cream social, family picnic, family park playdate, couples’ darts tournament. Include the family, significant others, or make your event just for the gals! Just make sure to publicize it in your local paper, on Facebook, or wherever your chapter finds success in publicity!

WOMEN OF TODAY WEEK: SEPTEMBER 16-22, 2012

Women of Today Week is from September 16 through September 22, 2012. This is a special week set aside by both MNWT & USWT to celebrate the Service, Growth, & Fellowship that we provide to our members. It is an excellent opportunity to use all kinds of effective Public Relations tools to share with your community all our organization has to offer. Here is some information to help you get started. If you are a PR LPM, PR DPM, or Chapter President, share this information with your chapter members. Fall State Convention is at the end of the week, it’s already partially filled! Plan to join us for convention and add your own during the week (Chapter Socials, M-Event, PEP course, etc.). Find these and many more ideas here.

Here’s a sample timeline for Women of Today Week. View the full checklist on my MNJOTS CIP.

• June-August: Choose your project(s); Find chair/co-chairs, dates, times, locations, etc.
• July to Early September: Publicize Anywhere & Everywhere!
• August-September: Post Flyers all over town – Hold a “Flyer Night,” then socialize after!
• Week of WT Week: HAVE FUN!!! On Facebook, change your chapter’s profile picture to the MNWT Logo (found here) and write something great about WT all week!
• Before, During, & After WT Week: Tell the PR SPM about your week!! Let her know via email, on Facebook, mail something to her, or call – whatever! Share what your chapter did to participate in Women of Today Week – include all of the FUN details!
• Fill out your USWT “Shout Out with Pride” form: Let both the USWT Public Relations Director and me share with other chapters and members around the nation how you made Women of Today Week special and raised awareness in your community!

“Day at the Diamond” SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2012

You’ll get to…

• See our MNWT State President throw out the first pitch!
• Visit Target Field (especially if you haven’t been there yet)!
• Cheer on the Twins as they play their best!
• Help us fill our designated rows with MNWT members, families and friends!

MINNESOTA WOMEN OF TODAY FACTS

In the 2011-2012 year, Minnesota Women of Today is celebrating 62 years as an organization, focusing on Service, Growth, & Fellowship. Our local chapters serve 81 communities across the state of Minnesota, a dedicated volunteer force of over 1500 members!

We began Service, Growth, & Fellowship as the Mrs. Jaycees in 1950. Since 1985, our organization has been known as the Women of Today since 1985. In the past five years we have raised over $1,468,689 for various charities and our members have volunteered thousands of service hours. Major areas of support have included the March of Dimes Foundation, the Jacob Wetterling Foundation, Girl Scouts, People with Developmental Challenges, The American Cancer Society, and many more.

This year is our last year of our 3-Year Priority Area with the Can Do Canines (previously known as the Hearing & Service Dogs of MN), an organization we have chosen to help in their efforts to aid people by providing specially trained dogs to help them gain freedom and independence in their lives. These dogs are amazing as they help their human partners who have diabetes, seizures, autism, hearing loss, blindness, and more challenges.

The next 3-Year Priority Area is Isaac’s Journey. Be sure to attend the next two conventions in May and September, 2012 to learn more about this organization.

Each year, Minnesota Women of Today also chooses a one year Buckets of Sunshine Project to focus on from June until the following January. This year, our chosen project is GREEN SNEAKERS. We are now collecting new and used tennis shoes both at our Fall State Convention (September 23-25, 2011) at Cragun’s Resort in Brainerd and at our Winter State Convention (January 27-29, 2012). Past statewide projects have included: The Pajama Program, which collects new pajamas and books for children who are waiting and hoping to be adopted; “Operation Minnesota Nice”, an organization that ships care packages to the armed forces to make a difference in the lives of those serving abroad in a time of conflict; Cheerful Givers, a 100% volunteer organization providing birthday gift bags for children served by area food shelves; Project Linus, a non-profit providing donated, handmade blankets and afghans to hospitalized children; and the “Helping Hands for the Heartland” project, which benefited Camp Heartland, a camp founded in 1993 to serve children impacted by HIV/AIDS.

The Minnesota Women of Today has its roots in the 1950’s as the Minnesota Mrs. Jaycees. Upon reorganization of the Jaycee Women in 1985, eighty percent of our membership voted to become the Women of Today. Since that time, our focus has been to help women improve their own lives and the lives of the people in the communities around them. Opportunities exist for leadership at all levels of Women of Today, from committee work and officer positions in the local chapter, to management and supervisory positions on the district and state levels.

The Minnesota Women of Today member is a member of the United States Women of Today. There are 12 states with chapters throughout the United States.

In April, 2009, the Minnesota Women of Today successfully sponsored our 1st International Chapter in Cyprus, an island in the Mediterranean Sea. MNWT is extremely proud of the efforts and success of the members in the Cyprus Women of Today chapter and hope to sponsor more international chapters around the globe! You can find out more about this exotic island and their Women of Today chapter by visiting their website: www.cypruswot.org. If you live in another country and would like to find out how to start an International Chapter in your community, please contact Katie at csc@mnwt.org.

Minnesota Women of Today always strive to uphold their creed and “…Leave the world a better place because we lived and served within it.”

For further information, contact Katie at the Minnesota Women of Today Chapter Service Center,
PO Box 44242, Eden Prairie, MN 55344; phone 952-406-8578; email csc@mnwt.org

We would like to extend the hand of fellowship to you and share with you the many opportunities included in Women of Today wherever you live. We look forward to meeting you soon!