Membership Renewal Reminder!

It’s that time of year again, as Membership Renewals are due October 31!

Membership in FPRA provides:

• Exclusive member-only savings and opportunities
• New career opportunities
• Involvement through leadership roles
• Information on communications tips and trends through quality programming
• A place to build relationships with the area’s leading PR pros!

And if that isn’t enough to encourage renewal by October 31, we’ve sweetened the deal! Everyone who renews before the 10/31 deadline will have their name put in a drawing for a $50 gift certificate to the Twisted Vine in downtown Fort Myers. Drawing will take place at the Dec. 7th meeting. If you haven’t yet renewed your membership, do it now! Email carla.ulakovic [at] gmail.com for a Membership Renewal Form.

A limited number of membership scholarships are available for renewing members. If you're interested in a membership scholarship, please submit two or three paragraphs outlining your financial need, involvement in chapter activities, commitment to professional development and how your participation in FPRA will benefit the chapter and your professional career. Submit your request to carla.ulakovic [at] gmail.com.

Trick or Treat: Membership Renewals Due on Halloween

Sunday, October 31st is not just Halloween, it’s the deadline to renew your FPRA membership. It promises to be downright scary if you forget to renew and end up paying a late fee or, talk about drop dead frightening, get axed from the membership roster. Luckily, there’s a treat in store this year. It is now easier than ever to renew online on the state FPRA website at http://www.fpra.org/. You also can choose to renew by snail mail using the application you received in the mail earlier this month. Questions about membership and renewals? Contact Carla Ulakovic, president-elect and membership chair.

Member Spotlight: Kelly Ann Packard, Hillgate Communications

Kelly Ann Packard is account manager at Hillgate Communicatons, a full-service communications and marketing support agency located on Sanibel Island. Kelly graduated from the University of Florida with a master’s degree in Mass Communication in May 2009. During her time at the university, she was the director of public relations for Gator Growl, the world’s largest student-run pep rally, and developed relationships with local and state media. She also served as promotions director and communications director for the UF Chapter of the American Marketing Association, where she created all print and website material and organized the chapter’s involvement on campus.

In the last two years, Kelly completed several public relations-focused internships at Haven Hospice, Shands HealthCare, University of Florida Student Health Care Center and University of Florida Office of Technology Licensing. As an undergraduate public relations student at Westfield State College in Massachusetts, she served as a media relations intern for the Springfield Falcons Hockey Team in Springfield, Mass.

Kelly has spearheaded several fundraisers and charities, including a holiday card drive for military service members, families and veterans, and a care package collection drive and shipment to University of Florida students and alumni serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. She participates in the March for Babies, Bikers on Parade for the USA, Adopt-a-Road and several local veteran organizations. She has also donated her time and public relations expertise to the Collegiate Veterans Society and Omega Delta Sigma National Veterans Fraternity.
Kelly is a member of the Community Cooperative Ministries, Inc. (CCMI) PR Task Force, Southwest Florida Gator Club, Junior League of Fort Myers and Florida Public Relations Association. She thrilled to be starting her career in Southwest Florida where she said there are so many resources available to young professionals.

Member Spotlight: Betsy Clayton, Lee County Parks and Recreation

Our February Member Spotlight is a new member to our chapter! 

Betsy Clayton is the waterways coordinator for Lee County Parks and Recreation. She assists with Lee County Parks’ media relations with editing and writing, and also works with the Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau in hosting eco-, outdoors and kayaking journalists from around the country and globe.

Her primary job is to market and coordinate the Great Calusa Blueway, a 190-mile mile marked canoe and kayak trail from Bonita Springs to Bokeelia via Estero Bay, Pine Island Sound and Matlacha Pass, the Caloosahatchee River and its tributaries (see www.calusablueway.com). She coordinates the Calusa Blueway Paddling Festival (www.calusabluewaypaddlingfestival.com), a 10-day countywide eco-festival with more than 70 events. It happens each year the last weekend of October through the first weekend of November.

Clayton also is a freelance journalist. She’s a columnist for The News-Press’ Tropicalia and an outdoors columnist for Florida Weekly. She writes for luxury lifestyle magazines and boating publications throughout the U.S. and Canada.

A graduate of the journalism school at the University of Oregon, Clayton also has lived in Washington State, California, Washington D.C. and – of course – Southwest Florida, her home for 16 years.

Chapter Members: Create a SWFL FPRA account for access to exclusive benefits!

Where can I find a current membership list? What in the world did I do with that last imPRess email? How can I get my job posting out to experienced public relations professionals?

These are just a few questions that can be answered very simply – just visit the Chapter Web site at http://www.fpraswfl.org/! Great resources, such as a current membership list, archived issues of the newsletter, meeting presentations and minutes, job postings and more are all just a couple clicks away. You can also catch up on our chapter blog, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts just by clicking the icons at the bottom of the homepage!

To make sure you have access to all the Web site has to offer, visit http://www.fpraswfl.org/. Under the Members Access tab, navigate down to “Create Member Account,” and fill out the form. Here, you'll create your own username and password and be on your way to making the most of your membership! When you submit your form, it will be reviewed and promptly approved for all current members. If you are not already a member, you can apply to join our chapter and begin receiving these exclusive benefits.

We are constantly working to improve our presence on the Web, so if you have any questions or comments regarding the site, please contact Web site Chair Erin Comerford at eecomerford (at) flylcpa (dot) com.

Need another reason to renew?

Look no further! With the chance to win great prizes, the decision to renew has never been so easy. Invest in yourself today!!!

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