“I’d be lost without...”

I'd be lost without Google Docs. From grocery lists to product inventory, Google Docs is the best way to keep your important info in one place and accessible all the time. Spreadsheets, Text Documents, Presentations, Forms and more. Easy to share and edit together for team projects.

Michelle Nagel
m@michelleinnovation.com

APR Trivia - May

Q: How many flashcards are provided to APR candidates in FPRA’s Southwest Florida Chapter?

A: 323

Image Luncheon has SOLD OUT!!!

This year's Local Image Awards Luncheon has truly set  " A Winning Tradition"!

Due to the great planning of our Image Chair and committee coupled with the support of our members and sponsors, the luncheon at Art of the Olympians Museum and Gallery on Tuesday, April 17 has sold out.

The Chapter will be unable to accommodate walk-ins for the Tuesday, April 17 Luncheon as we are at capacity.

For those who have registered, please note networking and lunch will begin at 11:30 a.m. followed by the awards ceremony at 12 p.m.

Thanks again to our luncheon sponsors: Art of the Olympians, Harborside Event Center, Lee County Port Authority, CenturyLink, Power Purchasing, April’s Pie Company, Riverchase Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery, Nulman PR & Marketing, The Cooper Group, MyRiverDistrict.com,  Lee County Electric Cooperative, Inc. and J.J. Taylor Companies, Inc.

President's Word: Fresh Lemonade

By Carla Ulakovic
carla.ulakovic@gmail.com

I am sure we can all think back to our childhood and find that one relative who shared sage advice in the form of idioms, adages or old family sayings.  For some, we may have daily reminders of the value of a positive attitude, perspective and team spirit through those friendly human resource posters depicting scenic views and motivational sayings.

Today’s poster says, “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

As PR professionals we have the innate ability to plan to the tiniest detail, but we must also have the ability to adapt to the changing environment – and be lemonade connoisseurs.

We spend countless hours designing programs using appropriate strategies, research, tactics, and technology which could change in a blink of an eye. By keeping our eyes on top of our ever evolving industry through new media platforms, software and services we are able to be at our best.

To help our members revamp their PR Toolkits, our Chapter has added a new newsletter column, “I would be lost without...” which provides tips, tricks and tools to help our colleagues make lemonade out of those daily lemons!

Simple though they may be, here are a few helpful tools I use to get me through the day:

Dropbox - Simplify your life. Dropbox is a free service that lets you bring your photos, docs, and videos anywhere and share them easily. Never email yourself a file again!

AP STYLE Chats – Learn more about what drives AP Style through chats at twitter.com/APStylebook. Tweet your questions to the Stylebook editors and the guest style experts using hashtag #APStyleChat.

Be sure to tune in month to see what our members have to share!

Pillars of Support: A Look at Our Annual Sponsors

LCEC Energizes the Community
By the LCEC Public Relations Team

Established in 1940, Lee County Electric Cooperative, Inc. (LCEC) is a not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative. Beginning with 15 miles of distribution line and 158 members, LCEC now has over 8,000 miles of distribution and transmission line, almost 200,000 customers, and is one of the largest electric cooperatives in the nation. LCEC serves Cape Coral, North Fort Myers, Marco Island, Sanibel and Captiva Islands, Pine Island, Everglades City, Immokalee, Ave Maria, and parts of Lehigh Acres.

The LCEC vision is to deliver the power that energizes our communities. This vision encompasses delivery of electricity but it also expresses commitment to supporting our communities through philanthropic endeavors and volunteerism. Through personal donations and fundraising activities, LCEC employees are among the top contributors to the United Way. Employees also volunteer their time and talents to countless other social service, educational, environmental and health-related agencies and programs. LCEC is proud to offer the Power to Share program which is funded through employee and customer contributions and administered by United Way 211 to aid customers experiencing a hardship with their bills.

LCEC also strives to protect and preserve cherished resources, including water, urban and rural lands, vegetation, animals and birds through environmental efforts. LCEC partners with local experts and customers to help balance the need for electricity with the needs of the environment. Support of multiple wildlife initiatives, a year-round recycling program and the Osprey Protection Program are just a few of the ways LCEC contributes.

The LCEC PR team consists of three dynamic divas, two of which are actively involved in FPRA!

Visit www.lcec.net for more details on LCEC!

Upcoming Dates

April 19 - Student Chapter Mixer

May 1 - FPREF Campaign Deadline

May 7 - Luncheon

June 21- Media Breakfast

July 10 - Annual Meeting

Aug 5- 8 Annual Conference

Golden Image Deadline Just Around the Corner

In the next few weeks FPRA members across the state will be working towards “Discovering Gold” for the Golden Image competition. The Golden Image Competition is conducted annually by the Florida Public Relations Association to recognize outstanding public relations programs in Florida and to encourage and promote the development of public relations professionalism in our state. Entries are due to state May 18.