Holiday Kick-off - Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Thanksgiving is over and the Black Friday promotions are beginning (some places have been in full swing for a few hours).

If you missed out on black Friday there is always Cyber Monday. Check out these on-line deals. You can save big bucks!

While on-line shopping why not just minimize our site so you can listen to our newly added eclectic holiday mix.

Thanks Giving

Giving thanks - We are so thankful for our clients and the friends we have made these last nine months!

Finished with your Thanksgiving dinner and searching the Internet before the tryptophan kicks in?  Why not rate your Thanksgiving.  We'd give ours 5 stars!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Things to Love about Autumn on RateItAll

TweetsGiving

Another way to give this Thanksgiving thanks to social networking!

TweetsGiving - A Twitter celebration of gratitude and giving to demonstrate the power of the social web by raising $10,000 in 48 hours to build a classroom in Tanzania.

TweetsGiving will be held from Tuesday, 11.25.08 (12pm EST) to Thursday, 11.27.08 (12pm EST).

You still have some time this Thanksgiving morning. Click here to donate or find out more info.

Check progress with their widget below.

Starbucks(Red) Launches Tomorrow - Sneak Peak Today

Starting tomorrow Starbucks will team up with Red this holiday season.

Starting November 27 till January 2, every time you buy a (STARBUCKS)RED Exclusive beverage:

Espresso Truffle, Gingersnap Latte, or Peppermint Twist Mocha

from a participating Starbucks locations, they will give 5¢ to the Global Fund to help save lives in Africa. 

And in support of World AIDS Day on December 1, they will donate 5¢ of every hand-crafted beverage they sell that day. 

Get a sneak peak of the video here.

Getting a free skinny vanilla latte (happened yesterday at Polaris drive-thru location), inspi(red) me to give back with word of mouth marketing. 

Great cause!  Now go, get your coffee on!

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Macy's is 150 years old.  This retail store started out as a fancy dry good store in 1858.  Today they are a leading retail store with hundreds of brands including celebrity branded merchandise. We're pretty sure everyone has seen the nostalgic advertising campaign they've been running the past few months.  We really like how Macy's has captured iconic moments mentioning Macy's over the years.  For us it resonates long-standing comfort and trustworthiness.

In 1924, the Macy's Day Parade was born.  Originally known as the Macy's Christmas parade, employees of the store and animals from Central Park Zoo started this holiday tradition.  The world famous giant helium balloons were added in 1927 and in 1948 the parade was televised.

A holiday tradition for our family, we will be watching the parade while making Thanksgiving dinner.

Little trivia. . . Did you know how Macy's got their branded iconic star?

Answer:

˙ɐǝs ʇɐ ɯıɥ pǝpınƃ ɥɔıɥʍ sɹɐʇs ǝɥʇ oʇ ǝʇnqıɹʇ ɐ sɐ ɯɹɐ sıɥ uo ɹɐʇs pǝɹ ɐ pǝooʇʇɐʇ ʎɔɐɯ ˙ɥ ˙ɹ 8581 uı 'pןɹoʍ ǝɥʇ ƃuıןıɐs ǝןıɥʍ

Perks Program - If You're Not Shopping Giant Eagle, Why Not?

Earlier in the week I had to get gas. Because I racked up quite a bit on my Giant Eagle Advantage card and the price of gas is now finally reasonable, I got FREE gas! Very cool to see the gallons rising and the price staying at zero! On top of that, I got the new food perks point for my groceries. Because Thanksgiving is at my house this year and I had to buy so much the extra savings sure was nice!

Columbus is the test market for the Food perks program. All 24 stores are testing this perk. If central Ohio likes it, the company will roll out this program in their stores through PA, WV, MD and northeast Ohio.

I want to make sure Giant Eagle hears me - I love the Food and Fuel perks program and will continue to be a loyal Giant Eagle shopper. I also encourage everyone else to do so. Why wouldn't you? It costs nothing and you save money, lots of money!

You can even save money on gas by shopping on line at fuel perks mall.com. Check it out!

The Gift of Holiday Publicity

Everyone is thinking about the holidays right now, so tailor your message accordingly.  Obviously, not everything can apply, but charities can capitalize on the giving season and work with the media to spread the word this time of year.  For example:

HOLIDAY GIVING IS EASY

WITH CHARITY IN MIND

(COLUMBUS, OHIO) The holidays and new year are a time of generosity and central Ohioans are looking for unique and meaningful gifts.  Charities like the Epilepsy Foundation of Central Ohio offer numerous ways that individuals, families and businesses can contribute.   The Stroll For Epilepsy is coming up, so there are plenty of ways to get involved now!

-Families:  Make a donation in honor of a loved one with Epilepsy, include in holiday cards.

-Individuals: For your holiday party, ask guests to bring a donation and sign up for your Stroll For Epilepsy team (and get back together on January 31st for the event!).

- Businesses: Ask employees to attend the upcoming Stroll For Epilepsy, donate auction items for the event.

The mission of the Epilepsy Foundation of Central Ohio is to enhance the quality of life for those affected by Epilepsy and to increase the understanding of epilepsy in Central Ohio.  Approximately 77% of every dollar donated goes toward this mission.  Remember that donations made before the end of the year are tax deductible for 2008!

About the event:  On January 31^st 2009, this family friendly walk takes strollers through both levels of the very popular Polaris Fashion Place. Held in the wintertime, it’s the perfect opportunity to get out of the house, get some exercise, and take part in making a difference for those affected by epilepsy. The walk includes lots of family fun and the chance to win some great prizes. Register Online!  Go to www.epilepsy-ohio.org and click on Stroll 2009.  Registration is free but participants are encouraged to raise a goal of $100.  The Foundation’s goal is to raise $100,000 through this event.  All funds raised stay local!

The Epilepsy Foundation of Central Ohio’s goal is to enhance the quality of life for those affected by Epilepsy and to increase the understanding of epilepsy in Central Ohio.  Our Foundation works to prevent, control and cure epilepsy through services, education advocacy and research.

###

Top Restaurants in Columbus

The Columbus Dispatch just announced Columbus' Top 10 and Next Tier Restaurants (or Top 20 restaurants).  

With economy being tight going out to dinner is becoming more of a special occasion, especially at places like the Top 20.  But you still can dine at some of these fine establishments for a reasonably priced evening.  A handful of them offer coupons in direct mailers, Entertainment Books or in diner type catalogs - buy an entree get an entree of equal value free, receive a free appetizer, or $10.00 off any entree. 

These coupons possibly once overlooked definitely work now.  My husband and I collect these coupons and have visited a few of these fine establishments.  We've ended up eating at places we would have never thought of before.  The coupons are what get us in the door.  Sure, we might have saved money on the entree, but we usually end up ordering an appetizer, extra glass of wine or splurge with a dessert to split.  Not only did we end up purchasing extra items which made our bill higher, but we've come to really like most of these places and will most likely return again - without a coupon.

Some may think coupons are cheesy.  We think it's a good marketing idea.  A great way to get people in the door when other restaurants are struggling because of lower sales and less traffic. Coupons are a great way to attract new customers who will mostly likely return again.  

The Top 20 Columbus restaurants should capitalize on their recent publicity.  Now is the time of offer a coupon.  We bet their business would grow.  Heck, we'd come out to enjoy a meal.

Unique Visitor from Alaska Wanted

Still no unique visitor from Alaska. We continue to look for that visitor to give us the red dot on Alaska for our ClusterMap (at the bottom of site).

Maybe these key words will help . . .

Sarah Palin, glaciers, Juneau, fishing, bears, salmon, caribou, Yukon Route Scenic Railroad, Iditarod, dog sled, snow, ice, gas pipeline, Glacier Bay.

Or, maybe if you know of someone from Alaska you can direct them to our site, sort of word of mouth marketing.

We'll give them a warm welcome.

Grandview Theatre to Open early January

Renovations, decoration, and plans are being made for the Grandview Theatre (formerly Drexel Grandview) to open and film fans are thrilled!  Residents are also excited about the location re-opening (the image on the right perfectly the nostalgic and charming structure), but concerned about it's longevity.  Marketing is key, as foreign and independent films are a very specific niche. Audience research and awareness are essential for success.  How do you reach the young artsy market?  How can new customers be engaged?  What is unique about Grandview Theatre and how do you capitalize on it?  Will mainstream movies be shown?  Classics?  Who is the largest competition and where do it's clients live?  How do you involved the tight-knit Grandview community? ....  And that is just a start.

Bob Evans Moving toward the Youngins

Check out today's article in the Dispatch biz section discussing an Ohio University PR class project, in which social networking is being used to reach the younger demographic.  The students are working to create an online presence for Bob Evans, which traditionally caters to the older folks.   We can't wait to see the page when it's launched in January.   My grandpa is excited too... He said he finally found a use for the "inter web!"

The article goes on to discuss how tools like facebook and myspace allow companies to hear from and interact with customers, lead the conversations, and get on board to reach this online audience.  Very interesting stuff!  

P.S. Check out the name of the OU PR group.  Great minds really do think alike.  

Smokers You Can Do It - Great American Smokeout

Today is the 33rd Annual Great American Smokeout.  Having a hard time trying to kick the smoking habit.  Maybe today is the day you can do it.  

The American Cancer Society has created quite a few resources and materials to help kick the habit.  

For Windows users (sorry Macs - and we are Macs) 

they have created craving stopper game to distract you from your craving that you can download on your desk top.

Visit their web site for health tips, support and more information.

Need to talk to someone for help.  In Ohio call:

Ohio Tobacco Quit Line: 800-934-4840

New Gadgets

We added a couple new follow us gadgets on our site.

Follow our blog and Follow us on Twitter

We'd love it if you'd become a loyal follower of our site.  It's easy too.  Just click on "follow this blog".  That's it.  Watch as we build our online networking community.

To follow us on Twitter just click the Follow Us bird widget.  It will take you right to our Twitter page.  You can follow our tweets to get all the latest news.

Social networking is so fun!  If you haven't started give it a try.  We're sure you be addicted in no time!

Alaskans Have Really Dry Skin

We are doing this post for two reasons:

1.  Because we think Vaseline launched the advertising campaign for their Clinical Therapy Lotion in a pretty cool way.  Vaseline actually went to Kodiak, Alaska and asked people to try their new product.  One lady responded to the call and through word of mouth got a bunch of people to try and buy the product.  Word spread and the marketing tactic worked!  With winter coming up you might want to give the product a try.  Before you go shopping, sign-up for a $1.00 off coupon online.

2.  Because we are doing a little search engine test.  If you scroll down to the bottom of our site you will see a ClusterMap.  All the red dots indicate areas across the world where unique visitors check out our site.  As you can see there are no dots in Alaska.  By writing this post we are going to see if this prompts anyone from Alaska to visit our site.

If you are from Alaska and stumble upon our site - welcome.  Feel free to give us all in the lower 48 a comment shout out!

Can't Find the Right Christmas Present?

We all have that one hard to buy a Christmas present person.  You know, the person who either has everything, is picky or wants nothing. Well, we found a 501(c)(3) organization that just might be the answer . . . 

Changing the Present.  After all, it's the thought that counts (and it's easy).  Choose and purchase a donated gift from the on-line catalog, select a personalized card announcing a donation was made in that person's name, then give them the card.  You and your friend/family member/co-worker changed the world one present at a time and that hard to buy for person is happy.

Some great present/donation ideas we saw are (but there are so many more):

• For $50 you can buy a child a guitar and one year of lessons at an underprivileged school
  
• For $25 you can adopt a dolphin
  
• For $20 you can supply 10 farmers with seeds to promote food and farming
  
• For $50 you can plant an araucaria tree in Chili and save an endangered forest
  
• For $25 you can buy board games or DVD for girls at a shelter house

According to the sites FAQ, all donations are tax-deductible and 100% of the donation (minus a 3% credit card transaction fee and 30 cents).  Non-profits receive grants at the end of each month.

They are on Facebook too.  Send $1.00 Facebook gifts to help the cause.  We became a fan!

  The word present has a few meanings:

1. A particular place
   
2. Occurring now
   
3. A gift
   

We like how this organization uses this multiple meaning word as a play on their brand.  

So this holiday season why not purchase a present from this wonderful organization. All you need to do is be present in front of your computer, make a donation and change the present.

Click it or Ticket This Thanksgiving

Today the National Highway Safety Administration will launch its national Click it or Ticket campaign just in time for the holidays.    Because Thanksgiving is typically the heaviest traffic holiday of the year - more traffic unfortunately means more crashes - CIOT wants to remind everyone that wearing seat belts saves lives. 

You can get info on from the state of Ohio campaign here.

Fresh Goes Better! The Fresh Website of Bel Air. A website that Freshens Breath!

In this blogging, online day and age, typical websites are quickly losing their luster.  Sometimes all a customer needs is to look up hours, location, or check out the general services, which of course should be easy to access.  But once this is done often times there isn't a reason to go back.  Cool graphics and pictures grow old after just a visit or two these days.  

But finally, there is a way to keep info and graphics fresh, without having to be a dorkulator or bothering your graphic designer friend for help (again!).   One of our brilliant contacts has custom designed a content management system which makes it incredibly easy for anyone to maintain their own site!  These guys are wizards... and they know a good margarita, we saw it first hand at lunch on Friday.

A blog is another way for businesses to keep that fresh information coming.  It also gives consumers a chance to get to know and trust a business, other than just checking out the primary site.  And it's free!  columbus imPRessions has plenty of ideas for using social networking to your advantage.  It's basically word of mouth marketing, only online.  Check out our blog sometime!  www.columbusimpressions.com  Just goofin.  

Shopping Today Put Me in the Holiday Mood

Turn off the Reverb Nation music (bottom of right column), push the green arrow and enjoy our holiday Elf Yourself!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Thanks and Giving

With Thanksgiving just around the corner some non-profit organizations are getting busy to help those in need in our community and across the country.

Locally:

Mid-Ohio Food Bank needs to stock its shelves.

NBC 4 and WNCI are teaming up to collect donations for Mid-Ohio Food Bank.

This Saturday, November 15 from 8a-2p stop by Channel 4 studios on Olentangy River Road to drop off non-perishable food items.  Canned and boxed items for holiday meals and kid friendly foods are needed.  Click here for more info.

Nationally:

Warm Coats and Warm Hearts

Burlington Coat Factory and Good Morning America are partnering for the 2nd Annual Warm Coats and Warn Hearts coat drive beginning November 24th for non-profit organization for One Warm Coat.  If you want to help the cause or if you are holding a local coat drive contact Good Morning America and let them know the details here.  They will be following like drives and yours just might make national news.  Check out One Warm Coat to find coat drop off locations.  Burlington Coat Factory locations in Columbus should be taking coats.

End of Year Giving

The holiday season is upon us.  If your non-profit hasn't made its holiday ask you still have some time.  There are some quick ways to send out your ask without the formal direct mail letter.

1. Send an e-blast and offer a direct link to your on-line donation page.
   
2. Mail a holiday card and include a small postcard detailing a desperate need and an example of how donor funds can help right now.  Add instructions to give on-line or include an envelope for remittance.
   
3. Start a cause on Facebook and collect on-line donations.

Whatever way you choose, make sure you add a key messaging line about end of year giving tax benefits.  Something like . . .

"Your generous gift enables you to receive tax benefits if it is postmarked or otherwise delivered by December 31, 2008."

You'd be surprised at how many donors need that reminder.  Once they get it, they'll be making a donation.

Happy Holidays!

PR For La Jeune Mariee Bridal Boutique (New Owner!)

WORTHINGTON BRIDAL BOUTIQUE UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP  

Grand Opening Kick-off with Holiday Sample Sale!

(WORTHINGTON, OHIO) Powell resident, Lindsay Fork’s dream recently became a reality when she bought local bridal boutique, La Jeune Mariee (689 High St. Worthington), from Rosie Taylor & Mary Taylor.  Twenty-nine-year-old Lindsay, has a background in the bridal industry and experience with business and sales.  An entrepreneurship major and graduate of Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, Lindsay wanted to put her degree to use while also doing what she loves. 

The Taylors did a wonderful job in making La Jeune Mariee a Worthington staple as well as winning a coveted award from The Knot, a bridal “bible” of sorts.  La Jeune Mariee was voted one of the top Bridal Salons in the Midwest for 2008.  Lindsay hopes to continue the reputation of the boutique.  As always, personal attention, elegant bridal gowns, bridesmaid dresses, and mother of the bride wear is offered at La Jeune Mariee.  Lindsay has updated the boutique’s look, added new designers, and also offers beautiful accessories.   Please note that appointments are recommended.

A sample sale is being planned for the holiday season.  The January 9^th & 10th event will include designer gowns sold off the rack at a highly discounted price.  The goal is to help brides who are feeling the economic pinch to afford the gown of their dreams.

Media is welcome to come to the shop in charming Worthington (High Street) for an interview/ photo opportunity. Contact Lindsay at 614.430.9659.

La Jeune Mariee Bridal Boutique, located in historic downtown Worthington, Ohio maintains a distinguished reputation for personalized service, premier designer bridal attire and an elegant, inviting atmosphere.  Voted as one of the top bridal salons of the Midwest by The Knot in 2008, La Jeune Mariee Bridal Boutique promises a unique and intimate gown shopping experience.  Contact the boutique at 614.430.9659 to schedule an appointment. 

Columbus Foundation Match Day

Power Philanthropy Match Day 2.0


An online stimulus plan created to match gifts to PowerPhilanthropy organizations and raise $1 million in 48 hours to support local needs in our community.

Non-profits get the word out to your donors and supporters. November 18th and 19th are the days to give!


How it works:

To participate, log in to PowerPhilanthropy during the dates and times listed below to make your matching gift.

Columbus Foundation Donors with donor advised funds and supporting foundations:

• Beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 18, the Foundation will match online grant suggestions in the amount of 50 cents of every dollar contributed, up to $2,500 per fund or foundation, while matching funds last.
  

All other Foundation donors and the public:

• Beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 19, the Foundation will match all public donations in the amount of 50 cents of every dollar given online with a credit card* through PowerPhilanthropy, while funds last.

More Than Just Monkey Business

Yesterday I was helping my daughter with a school project.  She is writing a report on Jane Goodall, the primatologist who spent over 45 years studying chimpanzees and a number of years interacting with them in Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania.  My daughter had to create a magazine cover and it only made sense that she called it Gorilla Fancy.

Anyway, I've heard of Jane but never really knew much about her other than the movie Gorillas in the Mist was about her life.  My daughter's report peaked my curiosity so I did a little research and came across the Jane Goodall Institute.  

There I learned that chimpanzees are on the brink of extinction and the JGI is working to correct that.  You can make a donation and become a chimpanzee guardian to help. Or if you'd rather donate through ecommerce you can get a really cute chimp stuffed animal or a cool t-shirt for $15.00, among other things.  Sixty percent of merchandise sales goes to the program. Jane Goodall also has a line of chocolate bars and coffee for purchase.

Who knew.  History lesson over.  Just interesting stuff I just wanted to pass along.

Pandora Internet Radio

Pandora - A musical experience you'll love.  

Create your "stations" and the playlist filled with your favorite music genre.  

Very cool.  

Iconic Fun . . . Nevermind

Check this out.  The Nirvana baby is all grown up. 

Time sure flys! 

The baby is 17 and now wears trunks when he swims!

Veterans Day

Today is the day we honor our military veterans.  We pay tribute and express our appreciate to these brave soldiers!

Today the Army launches a new ad campaign "Strength like no other".  Three ads (Team, School and Company) will enhance the Army's strong brand and will include :30 and :60 second spots to air on ESPN, MTV and the Speed Channel, as well as the GoArmy.com web site.  Soldiers will share their experiences giving testimony and even answering questions in an interactive section of the web.

What an appropriate day to launch a campaign for the Army and what an appropriate day to stop and say "thanks" to all the military men and women who fight so hard and risk their lives to give us freedom and safety.  True heros!  God Bless You!

A Shout out to the Grandview Chamber

As previously mentioned, columbus imPRessions joined the Grandview Chamber and has discovered so much more than just networking and business referrals.  It is the feeling of belonging, camaraderie,  love for our little neighborhood that sits right next to downtown Columbus.  It is incredibly inspiring to meet men and women just like us (i.e. cool & funny),  who are succeeding in their own businesses right next door.  We are truly looking forward to this Thursday's luncheon where we will learn about the growth of Grandview Yard (the spot where the Big Bear warehouse used to be).   Who knows, it could be the site of columbus imPRessions new office location!  

Move Over Evite We Just Found Pingg

'Tis the season to get invited to parties.  In just the last two weeks I received an Evite to a jewelry party, a Thirty-One party and a birthday party.  I even used Evite myself to send out an Evite for a purse party I had this past weekend.  Sending an Evite is free, fun and easy.  But we just found out about another free online invitation option that offers so much more and we wanted to share.

Introducing Pingg.  Pingg is a free stylish online invite that you can personally create reaching guests via email, SMS, web, print, Twitter and Facebook.  We love the way you can customize your pingg invite uploading your personalized photos, as well as the pingg feature that allows you to display a registry of the charity of your choice so guests can make an on-line donation in lieu of gifts. Guest can RSVP and make a donation at the same time.  

Very cool.  Next time we have a party you bet we will be using Pingg.

Show Support of Favorite Cause with Ad Council Widgets

Share your voice. Select a cause and display a widget on your favorite social networking site. Ad Council created widgets for some great causes.  Below are just a few examples.

Grab yours at http://www.adcouncil.org/icare/  

Make your philanthropic footprint.

Bark Obama

Now that the election is over the Obama family will being preparing for their move into the White House.  With a promise by their father, the girls should enter the White House with a new dog in tow.

Speculations of what breed to choose and all types of advice are circulating the news.  We'd like to weigh in giving our advice.  Not with the type of breed but instead how to get the breed.

Iams created a cause marketing campaign that we love - Home 4 the Holidays.  'Tis the season for giving, why not give a dog through pet adoption.  Together with actress Felicity Huffman, Iams wants to save the lives of 1 million pets this holiday season.

So President-elect Obama, if you or your people see this post, consider giving your girls a dog through this worthwhile cause.  You'll enter the White House appealing to even more people, possibly winning the hearts of those that didn't vote for you.

Latest Culinary News

We've created an e-newsletter for The Culinary Table.  A monthly enews blast will go out to subscribers with the latest news on cooking classes, seasonal information, recipes and event happenings at the newest venue in town.  Want to get in on the info.  Sign-ups at the bottom of website splash page.  New web site coming soon!

Dear Friends, With great excitement we introduce to you the Culinary Table,  a unique blend of flavors and fragrance solely created for  your memorable occasion.

Pull up a chair this holiday season....

The Culinary Table is an intimate gathering venue and hands-on cooking classroom  built with old world charm and a twist of modern flair.  Bellisari's Catering and  Natural Designs have fused their talents creating unforgettable occasions filled with food,  flowers, family and friends.   Located in Grandview, Ohio, The Culinary Table is a full-service venue with expertise in  elegant food and floral displays.  It is the perfect place for your holiday celebrations,  group events, or corporate functions.  The kids cooking classes will provide fun for children  of all age groups! Reserve your seat at our table.  Contact us at info@theculinarytable.com or  614.488.3714 to plan your beautiful event or cooking class.     Sincerely,   ~ Annette Bellisari Johnson, Owner, The Culinary Table & Bellisari's Catering ~ Regina Prange, Owner, Natural Designs ~ Brooke Kinsey, Executive Chef/ Culinary Instructor ~ Karen Narwicz, Catering Consultant & Event Planner ~ Kelly Dyas, Catering Coordinator

It's Movember

Happy Movember!  The month where men are encouraged to grow a mo (moustache) for charity. 

At the beginning of November Mo Bros (men) register with a clean shaven face.  All month long they go unshaven, growing facial hair, raising awareness and money for men's health and the fight against prostate cancer.

Women, while they don't grow mos, help with raising money, awareness and host gala events at the end of the month.  All donations go to the Prostate Cancer Foundation and used for research, better treatment and a cure for prostate cancer.

A fun way to make a philanthropic footprint.  Want more info or would like more info, visit the site here.  If you'd like to make a donation click here.

Right Action for Women

Christina Applegate is one of my favorite actresses and every Monday night I tune in to watch her show Samantha Who.  I was surprised to learn of Christina's battle with breast cancer this summer.  Luckily she caught it in a very early state and is a survivor.  Watching the Tonight Show last week Christina was a guest.  She spoke of her battle and the foundation she created - Right Action for Women.

Right Action for Women provides aid to women who are at an increased risk for breast cancer (due to genetics and family history) and who do not have insurance or the financial means to pay for these expensive tests.

Love it when Hollywood puts their celebrity to good use.  Want to help? Click here to make a donation.

Quick Note from TeenColleen..

Obviously, the 2008 election was an incredibly important one, I get it.   But OMG, I am so over it.  Sorry for sounding so childish, but the constant news coverage and publicity,  including election tie-ins with Starbucks, Myspace, Chick-Fil-A, and Facebook has just made the words "vote" and "election" practically meaningless after a while.  Don't get me wrong, I am all for encouraging the youngsters and voting virgins (like myself) to vote, but it just got to be exhausting the last few weeks, actually months, before the election.  It is great to have so much information accessible but did it have to be in my face 24/7?!  

On the other hand, I did vote for the first time ever and I did get the free Starbucks.  I am a sucker.   

Any thoughts from the annoyed/ teenage/ eye-rolling side of your brain?  Just curious about our visitors opinions....

Go Vote Then Get Your Free Donut

Today is Election Day.  Go vote and feel proud to exercise that right!  After you've placed your vote for president, stop by a Krispy Kreme Donut Shop.  Krispy Kreme wants to celebrate this "oh so sweet" constitutional right.

If you are wearing your I voted sticker you will receive one star-shaped donut with red, white and blue sprinkles.  Yum!

Stand Tall with Starbucks

Watching SNL the other night I saw a Starbucks commercial.  The commercial didn't have a voice over, or actors, just green words on what looks like a coffee sleeve and subtle music.  This simple commercial makes a BIG impact. Starbucks wants us all to care enough to vote.  Care when it's convenient and inconvenient to make our community and our country a better place.  

Starbucks wants to show they care by giving everyone who voted a free tall coffee on Election Day.  A great way to persuade people to get out and vote and to also think about making this world a better place.

You can view the commercial on their web site home page here.

Next to the commercial you will see a red plus sign.  This opens the page to the new "Do Something Good Everyday".  Currently that page displays a counter counting backwards the seconds, minutes, hours and days until November 27th when they launch Starbucks Red. Starbucks red is a campaign to help the Global Fund in Africa.

Starbucks is giving back to countries where they do business.  All a part of their Shared Planet. 

We like the direction Starbucks is taking.  They are making their philanthropic footprint.  We are proud and excited to support companies who make their philanthropic footprint and Starbucks is making a big one!

Can't wait to vote and get our free tall coffee.  Thanks Starbucks for the java and for your power of persuasion!