via www.swsmag.net
I am so excited to announce that the SEARCH Foundation has been honored by Southern Weddings Magazine as their Charity Love winner. Thank you so much to all the lovely ladies for supporting such an amazing cause.
The SEARCH Foundation assists people in the events industry who are faced with catastrophic loss and illness. Please read more about SEARCH on our website and about the contest and donation being made on the Southern Weddings Magazine Site!
Sharon Naylor author of nearly 30 weddings books has created the Norah Awards which Celebrates Wedding Industry Luminaries and recognizes a class of wedding industry professional who exemplify the virtue of honor. We are so thrilled to be named one of the winners of this amazing award along with other industry greats! So excited and humbled to be included!
Keep an eye out for other upcoming winners who exemplify amazing and wonderful vendors in the industry.
Come and support us...as a member of the Board of Directors & Chair of the Events Committee of the SEARCH Foundation, I would love to see you join us help people in the Special Events industry who are faced with catastrophic loss and illness. Good friends of mine have benefited from SEARCH and it is the only non-profit in this industry that helps us help each other. Please donate your time, your money, your silent auction items and give back to those in need.
ISES EventWorld is being held in San Francisco this year, if you plan on attending, please plan on spending your Friday night with us as the ISES Napa-Sonoma Chapter and ISES Northern California Chapter put on an amazing event
You can purchase tickets at the SEARCH Foundation website or at EventWorld...but buy early for the best rate.
I have to stand on my soapbox for a few minutes...if you work in this industry, you should read this and think about what you can do to keep yourself in business and working in the career you love and adore.
I work in an industry that has many different factions, communities and people who need a livelihood. Senator Kerry's plan would put tens of thousands of servers, hotel workers, event planners, catering managers, floral designers and other independent hard working people out of business.
But you're not in the meetings or events industry...why should you care? Because these hardworking people spend the money they earn. They spend it in industries where you might work. If they are not making money, you may not be making money. Remember it's cyclical and trickle down. If they don't make money they won't spend it and you could be out of a job as a wedding planner, photographer, sales person at any retail outlet, graphic designer, real estate agent.,...the list goes on. If you want to know how much the meetings industry contributes to the economy, just read this letter by the City of Las Vegas. And that is just one city...imagine all the money going into the economy in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, New York and every other major city in America.
Meetings keep people connected, they inspire and give a renewed vitality to employees. At times like these, it's important that employees stay energized, upbeat and positive to gain the most from them on a daily basis. To remove this small perk from the employees can create a set of individuals who are stagnant and unmotivated. Therefore, I bring you this message originally posted by Joella Hopkins of Simply Mumtaz:
Our
industry continues to be under fire, and we each need to take a more
active role in ensuring that our local communities and elected
officials are more educated on the true role and impact of our industry
on the economy. This is a time of partnership and alliances!
Meeting Professionals International and the National Business Travel Association and their respective leaderships have been working behind the scenes with fellow industry associations to thoughtfully respond to many inaccurate assertions unfairly attached to our industry. Now, we need your help to reinforce these responses in your local communities and to reach out to your elected officials. Here's a list of links that you should sign up on and investigate further!!!
1) Write to government representatives TODAY! Please view the many tools and updates available on the MPI International Website @ www.meetingindustrycrisiscenter.org. Here you will find your government representatives and sample letters that can be written. I urge you to write today!
2) Sign the Keep America Meeting petition www.keepamericameeting.org
3) View the Convention Industry Council's (CIC) news release. Carry our industry's message to mainstream America. http://www.conventionindustry.org/documents/CIC_Members_Endorse_Guidelines_for_Meetings.pdf
4) National Business Travel Association - Action Alert http://capwiz.com/nbta/issues/alert/?alertid=12773376
If you're in the Los Angeles Area and looking for a wedding gown -- you can attend the Bride's Against Breast Caner Nationwide Tour of Gowns: Chairity Gown Sale and admission is FREE from 5 to 9 p.m. on Monday and completely free admission on Tuesday and Wednesday! Super Score!
Not only would you support an incredibly worthwhile cause, you would totally get a steal on your gown with values of up to $8,000!
For just $20 admission, you can attend the "Power Hours" Preview Sale also! Get in before the free crowd :)
Check out the printable flyer for more info:
You can check out other upcoming sales in other areas (updated regularly) by clicking here.
The sale is hosted by Making Memories Foundation:
If you're in the San Francisco Bay Area and support the No on Proposition 8 (in support of Gay Marriage), please consider attending a great fundraising event. Attended by Fmr Mayor Willie Brown, Mayor Gavin Newsom, Rita Moreno, Wilkes Bashford and other dignitaries and those high in the San Francisco Social Scene -- this will no doubt be the place to be seen in SF on October 24 and benefit an amazing cause ensuring equality for all.
Ticket Prices run $200 per person to the event & $500 per person for VIP Access to the Chandon Area and VIP Seating.
Click Pursuit of Equality - Celebrating A Fundamental Freedom for Tickets!
Remember, Vote NO on Proposition 8 on November 4th!
Many of you who read this blog daily are in the event industry and you may have noticed the SEARCH Foundation information on the top right of the page. I want to take this moment introduce you to something extraordinary and ask you for assistance. Even if you think you have nothing to give, you'd be surprised at how your talent and small donations of products, time and cash can add up.
I am currently the Events Chairman for the non-profit foundation and we are planning two events we need your help with. But first, let me introduce you to SEARCH:
Since 1997, SEARCH has had one single minded purpose, to find a way to help special event industry members who are confronted with catastrophic circumstances.
The first step toward that goal has been to raise sufficient funds to create a sustainable financial core, capable of generating contributions for distribution through interest bearing investments.
The current SEARCH Board, consisting of 15 members, was constituted in January 2008 with its Chairman Larry Green. This streamlined board is dedicated to action, involvement and heartfelt commitment to the event industry.
In 2007, the SEARCH Board made a move towards a stronger organization by hiring an Executive Administrator to keep the Mission Statement on track and moving forward.
Here is what I'm asking for...
We are currently planning an event at ISES EventWorld in August and are in need of silent auction items to raise money so we can continue to give money to those in our industry who need it most. If you have an item we can use for the Silent Auction, please email me at sasha {at} sparkliatti {dot} com and we'd love your help.
Secondarily, if you are attending The Special Event Show in San Diego this coming January, we are in need of talented individuals who wish to be on my Events Commitee to plan an extraordinary event. We are also, again, looking for amazing silent and live auction items for the event as well as people who have auction experience to assist the Auction Subcommittee. Last January, we were able to raise over $100,000 with the help of individuals just like you.
So, if you can help, please let me know -- many people in your industry will benefit from your generosity in their time of need. You can also download a Pledge Donation Form and when thinking about non-profit organizations to donate money to each year, please add SEARCH to the list.
If you want more information on how to get involved in the SEARCH Foundation, please also email me and I will put you in touch with those on the Executive Committee as well.
Thank you for your time, readers! I hope you can help us help others.
xo,
Sasha
I can't say enough good things about everything Modern Bride does and this one...is the best yet. Please be sure to check it out, and email Antonia if you or your clients need any information.
From Be My Rock.org:
This site is for couples facing extraordinary health challenges during the engagement period. The illness may be your own, or that of a family member; regardless, it is devastating and can throw all wedding plans into question. Please consider this a place to talk to fellow engaged couples about the unique concerns you share. We'll also provide advice, both emotional and logistical. If you'd like information you don't see here, please contact me at Antonia@modernbride.com and use the subject line "BeMyRock."
Antonia van der Meer
Editor-in-Chief
Modern Bride
Kudos to the entire team at Modern Bride Magazine!
