Delaware Press Association - NewsBreak, January 2011

“The guest speaker was a knockout, so articulate and warm, and such great adventures. Makes you want to take a journalism class at U of D. And I particularly enjoyed Beth's charming speech. She's a wonder.”

“A beautiful place for the Holiday Luncheon, and the food was very good, too.”

These are just some of the comments that came rolling in after the 2010 Holiday Luncheon on December 4, held for the first time at the beautiful Deerfield Golf & Tennis Club. Mark Bowden, adjunct faculty member in the University of Delaware’s English Department journalism program and best-selling author of Black Hawk Down, was our luncheon speaker, and News Journal staff reporter Beth Miller was a decidedly popular choice for the annual Communicator of Achievement Award, the highest honor DPA bestows on its members.

Speaking with humor, sincerity and passion, Bowden began by giving a nod to the First Amendment and said that although he does not condone irresponsible behavior such as Julian Assange’s release of millions of sensitive documents through WikiLeaks, he sees Assange as a conduit rather than the perpetrator of the leaked materials and is not the one who should be punished. He moved on to the point that “reduced efforts to practice journalism – the reality of newspaper closings, staff cutbacks and cost-cutting – coupled with the explosion of amateurism and propaganda in the digital realm, have combined to create a world where all information is spun and where the only ones willing to spend time and money on preparing ‘reports’ are those with something to sell.”

In a world where our ever-evolving technology has changed the game of research and reporting, Bowden expressed both a sense of regret and one of hope.

Regret that rigorous reporting, gathering all of the facts, asking one more question to get at the truth and being present with people, places and events has largely given way to grabbing whatever information lies on the surface, whether vetted or not, and passing it along as fact. Others pick it up and pass it along, too, until it bears little resemblance to the truth, just as in the game where one person whispers a message to another until it has gone around the room and is usually wholly distorted when spoken aloud by the last person.

Bowden gave the example of the story that claimed the cost for President Obama’s trip to India last October was $200 million a day. That “news” – especially in light of a tough economic climate – sparked comments on talk shows, in newspaper letters
to the editor and on the Internet such as, “What does he care? It isn’t his money” and “This seems to be another case of Emperor Obama being willfully cold to feeling the real pain of Americans.” Bowden’s point was that anyone who thought carefully about the Grasso, Wilson & Cofrancisco

price tag would realize that it is impossible to spend such a mind-boggling sum in a single day and had any of the news agencies that passed the story along done proper investigative journalism, the story would not have gone viral.

At that point, one of the luncheon guests, a native of India, spoke up and said that he, too, had read the story, and when doing so had experienced an epiphany: The story had come from a news source in India, and most reporters, having failed to look into the whys and wherefores of the exhorbitant price tag, weren't aware that the cost of the trip had been stated in rupees, not in U.S. dollars. The difference is a 45:1 conversion rate, making the actual cost of the trip just over $4 million a day rather than $200 million. An audible gasp from the audience was followed by a collective eye-roll and much laughter.

Hope that the new technology that allows us access to increasing amounts of information – and links all of us ever more closely – will be used effectively and responsibly by younger generations whose enthusiasm for video, audio and electronic wonders knows no bounds.

When Beth Miller walked to the lectern to accept the 2011 DPA Communicator of Achievement Award, she expressed what many of us were thinking: “I could listen to Mark Bowden all day.” Beth received the well-deserved COA award to the cheers of family, friends and colleagues who recognize her as one of the best and most highly respected reporters – sports, education, politics, general-assignment – in Delaware (or anywhere). She has worked for The News Journal for 30 years, covering many of the most important news stories they publish, including US conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, turmoil in the Catholic Diocese, the governor’s race and the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Among her most interesting challenges: two Winter Olympics (Sarajevo & Calgary); two post-9/11 trips to Afghanistan; eight days on the Gulf Shore the week after Hurricane Katrina; and a week in Haiti with a photographer and medical personnel immediately after the earthquake last January.

COAs

DPA Communicators of Achievement

Standing: Allan R. Loudell, 2001
Rita Katz Farrell, 2004
Barbara C. Roewe, 2008
Kay Wood Bailey, 2002 & National COA 2002
Lise Monty, 2003
Karen Galanaugh, APR, 2006

Seated: Lynn Troy Maniscalco, 2005
Mary Louise Ponsell, 1999-2000
Beth Miller, 2011
Theresa Gawlas Medoff, 2010
Katherine S. Ward, 2007

© All photos courtesy Jim Smigie

After 17 years at a local radio station, after 28 years in the profession, I found myself “in transition.” For the first time, I did not have a place to call work.

I am not alone in this regard during the current uncertain economy (still coming off a collapse). After doing many stories on unemployment in Delaware and about efforts to create jobs in the First State, I suddenly found myself among those looking for work.

Beyond colleagues, family and friends, some of those who were most supportive were members of Delaware Press Association. DPA colleagues passed along advice, a stream of job leads, referrals and messages of encouragement.

None of it was anything I needed to ask for. Folks with DPA connections – some of whom I would not have expected, some of whom I had not heard from in months (years?) – somehow learned about my status and reached out.

I am grateful for their guidance. And, I am more thankful than ever that DPA was founded.

When that DPA dues renewal notice comes in the next week or two, think about what a DPA membership gets you for just $20:

We have just enjoyed one of the highlights of the year – the annual DPA Holiday Luncheon – at which Beth Miller, staff reporter for The News Journal, was honored as the 2011 Communicator of Achievement, and we heard fascinating stories from best-selling author and UD journalism professor Mark Bowden in a talk entitled “A World Where All Information Is Spun.” What an uplifting way to wrap up 2010!

But stay tuned. There’s much more on the way in 2011, including a program on sports writing and reporting, the communications contest and awards banquet, and a summer fun event. So make sure you keep your DPA membership up to date. This small investment today may reward you tomorrow in ways you can’t even imagine.

Mark Fowser, President of Delaware Press Association, is (depending on the day of the week) a reporter for WHYY-90.9 FM and its Web site, newsworks.org; a contributor to Delaware First Media (delawarefirst.org); and a radio traffic-and-news reporter in Philadelphia. He was with 1450 WILM Newsradio from July 13, 1993, until August 13, 2010. Contact Mark at 302-322-7873 or mafowser@hotmail.com.

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As promised, we updated the Delaware Press Association membership directory this fall. The directory is posted as an Excel file through the Members' Area of the DPA Web site and can be accessed by anyone whose DPA dues are current. If you’re not sure whether you’ve renewed for 2011 or if you’ve forgotten the username and password, please contact us. We'll e-mail the information to you.

Watch for the dues-renewal notice, which will be going out in a few days. We will continue to add names to the DPA directory as renewals come in.

To make sure YOUR listing remains in the directory, please click one of the links below to renew your membership if you haven’t yet done so! Only members paid for 2011 can be included.

Are you asking yourself “Why renew?” If so, read DPA President Mark Fowser’s column for several great reasons.

DPA delivers for just $20 a year. For that low membership fee, you have access to all that DPA offers.

Please renew your DPA membership today. If you’re not a member, why not join? All professional communicators are eligible for membership. Here are links to use, whether paying by check or by credit card, if you'd like to renew now.

NFPW president Cynthia Price recently posted an article titled “Time to Renew NFPW Membership” on her twice-weekly blog at cynthiapricecommunique.
wordpress.com. She says: “If you’re asking yourself the question ‘Why should I renew my membership in NFPW?’ ask yourself another one first: Am I doing what I can to benefit from membership? In other words, are you networking? Asking for guidance? Did you attend the conference in Chicago? Or are you planning to go to the national conference in Iowa and Nebraska in 2011?” Read the rest of Cynthia's reasons for renewing your NFPW membership.

NOTE: Dues for a dual NFPW / DPA membership are to be sent to NFPW Headquarters.

Whether you’re renewing as a DPA state-only member at $20 or as an NFPW/DPA member at $94, you can be sure you’ll get your money’s worth if you follow Cynthia’s advice and “do what you can to benefit from membership.”

Allison Taylor Levine, APR, a public relations consultant for Synchrogenix Information Strategies, Inc., is DPA’s Membership Director. Contact Allison at aljay89@yahoo.com or 302-345-0589.

The Delaware Press Association 2011 Communications Contest is underway – you should have received the call for entries mid-December – but you’ll have to enter your best media work by January 10 to join in the fun.

Please note that there have been a few changes to the contest rules and category descriptors, and there are even a few altogether new categories.

As always, entries will be judged by out-of-state communications professionals to ensure impartiality. Entrants will be notified of contest results by March 2011.

We will hold the annual contest awards banquet on Wednesday, April 27, 2011, at the University & Whist Club, 805 North Broom Street, Wilmington. Circle the date now. We’ll send details later.
Ink & Quill

For complete information about the contest (eligibility, preparing your entry, the entry form, contest fees, entry deadline, sweepstakes and more), please go to the Contests and Awards page of the DPA Web site.

Note: You do not have to be a member of Delaware Press Association to enter the contest.

The postmark deadline for all entries in the 2011 contest is Monday, January 10, 2011.

For more info on the 2011 DPA Communications Contest, contact Annie Nefosky at annienefosky@yahoo.com.

Have you ever asked yourself “What would it take to change the world?” Rotary International, the world's first service-club organization, with more than 1.2 million members in 33,000 clubs in more than 200 countries worldwide, works to put into action their answer to that question. Rotary club members, led by energetic, forward-looking people such as DPA members Lise Monty and Roxane Ferguson, are “volunteers who work locally, regionally and internationally to combat hunger, improve health and sanitation, provide education and job training, promote peace and eradicate polio under the motto ‘Service Above Self.’”

Lise and Roxane have been serving as presidents of their respective Rotary International clubs since July 1, 2010. Lise is head of the Wilmington Rotary, and Roxane serves the Middletown Odessa club. Taking on that role requires a year as president-elect, during which there are many months of training to be able to handle the tall order of orchestrating the many service projects, the weekly meetings year ’round and putting special emphasis on Rotary International’s theme for the year. The driving force for the 2010-2011 year is embodied in the theme “Building Communities and Bridging Continents.”

Lise is especially enthusiastic about an ambitious, multi-faceted project the Wilmington club launched to embody the 2010-2011 RI theme. “The mission of the two-year endeavor,” she says, “is to promote understanding and goodwill toward Pakistan, including a partnership with the Lahore Mozang Rotary Club. Seven of its members were in Wilmington during the first week of October, staying at the homes of Wilmington Rotarians, meeting with business counterparts and government officials (Delaware Governor Jack Markell included) and visiting historic and cultural sites. And I should add that one key component of the Pakistan Project is Wilmington Rotary’s commitment to provide five-year scholarships for girls from low-income Pakistani families.” Lise looks forward to meeting some of the girls when she visits Lahore, Pakistan, in February, as part of a 13-member delegation from her club. They will be hosted in the homes of members of their partner club who are arranging counterpart meetings as well as visits to cultural and historic sites.

The visit of the Lahore Mozang club members coincided with the first of a four-part educational series on Pakistan designed for Wilmington-area junior and senior high school students. The Pakistani Rotarians attended the first lecture at the Cab Calloway School auditorium, presented by Vikram Singh, a U.S. State Department official, and attended by more than 800 students.

Joining Rotary International five years ago provided Roxane a new spin on community service. In her rookie year, she was nominated as secretary of the Middletown Odessa club, and each year that followed offered her a new position on the board of directors. She has served as vice president, president-elect and now president of her club. Roxane Ferguson

Through a partnership with Pedal for Progress that exemplifies the current RI theme, the Middletown Odessa Rotary Club is recycling used bicycles that will assist developing countries in Latin America, Africa and Eastern Europe. “In those countries,” Roxane says, “the bikes are reconditioned by partner agencies and distributed at low cost to poor, working adults. The bikes provide them with reliable transportation for commuting to work, transporting produce to market, or accessing health care and other services. Steady employment for these adults is vital to the development and success of the economies of their homelands.” The Middletown Odessa Rotary Club is working with the local police departments in Middletown and Wilmington, as well as with local businesses, and also is reaching out to the community for support on this project.”

The Middletown Odessa Club is celebrating 82 years of representing the Middletown-Odessa-Townsend area in service to Delaware and communities around the world. Roxane says (in the understatement of the year): “With 43 members, the club embodies what ‘small wonder’ is all about. From local community initiatives, MOT Rotary Logo

such as adopt-a-family, Meals on Wheels, UNICEF, Easter Seals events, providing dictionaries to all third-grade students in the Appoquinimink School District, participating in Toys for Tots and creating the first transitional housing unit between Wilmington and Dover, to international service projects such as filling 135 shoeboxes for children in Haiti, donating several hundred items to Stockings for Soldiers, providing solar cookers to Mexico and funding a feeding program in the Philippines and Thailand, this is a busy club!”

In addition to all of the programs the Middletown Odessa Club participates in, Roxane set three major goals for the MOT club: to step into the 21st century through technology, to grow the club through membership and to participate in a program that exemplifies the RI motto for the year. Under Roxane’s leadership, they are well on their way to meeting all three: the club’s Web site, motrotary.org was launched in October, and the club now can be found on Facebook and LinkedIn; the club has welcomed three new members since the Rotary year kicked off on July 1; and the bicycle project, in partnership with Pedal for Progress, is underway.

In addition to her service to MOT Rotary, Roxane has been a member of the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce Professional Development Committee, a volunteer with the Girl Scouts, and she is the public relations chairperson for the American Cancer Society.

Lise says, “The Wilmington Rotary Club, larger than most with 240 members, has met every week in the Gold Ballroom of the Hotel
du Pont since 1915. It’s a big commitment, but I’m happy to step up because I believe in how effectively and generously it serves the local community and beyond. This ranges from working with the homeless to awarding scholarships to needy students, an active program that has helped students for decades.”

Now a freelance writer, Lise retired from full-time work in 2004 and was immediately attracted to the idea of getting involved in community service, particularly in areas of personal interest. But she resisted at first because of lingering journalistic instincts instilled during decades of working in an environment where it was verboten for a reporter to belong to any political, social, charitable or cultural organization. “It was imperative that you always avoid any conflict of interest or appearance of such a conflict,” she says. “Even the neighborhood association was a no-no for some editors.”

“Yet, it also seemed like a natural transition,” she adds. Having been a journalist and then the editor of Delaware Today for many years, she subscribes to the belief that “reporting or editing for one’s local newspaper or magazine serves the community by keeping it well informed. Volunteerism serves the community by helping improve its residents’ quality of life.”

Once she felt comfortable getting involved and becoming a part of community organizations’ endeavors, she jumped in with enthusiasm. “Maybe I’ve gone overboard,” she quips, referring to her two current leadership roles. In addition to serving as president of the Rotary Club, she also chairs the Delaware State Arts Council, the advisory body to the Delaware Division of the Arts.

Dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in order to enhance the quality of life for all Delawareans, the Council advises the Division on matters of arts policy, funding for the arts and other relevant issues. The Council’s role in deciding how to best allocate government grants to the many organizations seeking help is especially important in these difficult economic times. “Arts organizations always have worked with lean budgets,” she says, “and now they’re forced to cut back even more.”

Other volunteer activities for Lise include being a founding board member of The Wellness Community-Delaware, which provides support for people with cancer and for their families. An active member of St. Anthony of Padua Church, Lise leads tours of the beautiful church’s architectural and artistic highlights during its popular Italian Festival. And she recently served on the panel that selected recipients of the Governor’s Awards for the Arts.

Roxane, who has been a Girl Scout, a Jaycee and a lifelong advocate for community service, sums up the committed-volunteer attitude: “I’m honored to serve as president of an organization that is fostering such amazing community spirit locally and around the world. As our club continues to grow and to change, we will have opportunities that are yet to be imagined. I feel blessed to be able to share Rotary with my family and look forward to what the future holds for us. It’s a great time to be a Rotarian!”

To come back to the question: “What would it take to change the world?” The short answer is dedicated people like Lise Monty and Roxane Ferguson leading the charge.

Lise Monty, DPA’s 2003 Communicator of Achievement, is a freelance writer. She was the first female Bureau Chief for Fairchild Publications in its Boston Bureau and worked as Tokyo correspondent for Women’s Wear Daily. She was Editor of Delaware Today from 1987 to 1994 and External Affairs Manager for the Delaware Art Museum for the next ten years. She is the author of Images of Delaware and Wilmington: on the Move, coffee-table books featuring photographs by Mike Biggs. Contact Lise at montyleary@aol.com.

Roxane Ferguson is the executive director of the Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce. She was Assistant Vice President and Communications Manager at Wachovia Bank for more than a decade, a Realtor for Ryan Homes, Director of Sales and Membership for the Delaware Better Business Bureau and Director of Marketing for Diamond Technologies. Contact Roxane at rferguson@scccc.com.

“Not only has eloquence departed,” Newman wrote, “but simple, direct speech as well, though pomposity and banality have not. . . . Something drastic is needed, for while language – the poor state of language in the United States – may not be at the heart of our problems, it isn’t divorced from them either. It is at least conceivable that our politics would be improved if our English were, and so would other parts of our national life. If we were more careful about what we say, and how, we might be more critical and less gullible. Those for whom words have lost their value are likely to find that ideas have also lost their value.”

I literally could not have said it better, and can only add, “Hear, hear!” and “Huzzah!”

Most Overused Phrase
My current candidate for that title is “that being said,” “having said that,” or – even worse – “that said.” What’s wrong with a simple “but” or “however”?

Menu Directives
I have a friend who has noticed what she calls imperative commands pretending to be adjectives on menus. Her examples, along with her comments: “Toss Salad (Should I throw it at the waiter?); Mash Potatoes (I thought the cook would do that for me.); Ice Tea (What am I, a hit man?).”

Those Devilish Gerunds
Gerund – there’s a word you probably haven’t heard since high school English class. As you’ll recall from those halcyon days, gerunds are nouns formed from verbs, and all end in “ing.”

The problem with gerunds is that many writers and speakers don’t know that they take the possessive case when they follow a noun or pronoun. So sentences such as “I can’t stand him singing in the shower” should be changed to “I can't stand his singing in the shower.” It’s the singing that’s objectionable, not him – the singer.

Industry Talk
I once worked with an editor who constantly referred to “two-page spreads.” That’s redundant; all spreads are two pages.

And in Closing
I came across this from newly-minted Baseball Hall of Famer Andre “The Hawk” Dawson: “I want all them kids to do what I do, to look up to me. I want all the kids to copulate me.” Maybe they could emulate him as well.

Till next time, don’t forget to send your pet peeves, suggestions and questions for WordPlay to: allwriter@comcast.net.

DPA extends a warm welcome to each of our new members. Any new members whose contact information has not been included in the online DPA Membership Directory, please click here and ask for directions: DelawarePress@aol.com.

Derek Alexander, Wilmington – derek.alexander@state.de.us
Director of Marketing, Delaware Industries for the Blind, New Castle

Rich Barnett, Rehoboth Beach – richbarnett@mac.com
“Camp Stories” columnist, Letters from Camp Rehoboth magazine

Lauren Camp, Middletown – lauren@trentcamp.com
Yearbook Editor, Appoquinimink High School

Francine Tolliver Edwards, Townsend – fedwards@desu.edu
Assistant Professor, Department of Mass Communications, Delaware State University, Dover

Liz Farrell, Wilmington – lfarrell@cbgsc.org
Communications and Advocacy Manager, Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay

Barbara Gray, Wilmington – graybeg@comcast.net
Administrative manager, Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children; Director, Delaware Literary Connection

Jack Holloway, Wilmington – jack.holloway@state.de.us
Communications Coordinator, Delaware Division for the Visually Impaired, DHSS, New Castle

Christine Ketcham LaMonica, Wilmington – christineketcham@gmail.com
Director of Sales & Marketing, Green Delaware, Inc.

Josh Shannon, Newark – editor@udreview.com
Editor-in-chief, The Review, University of Delaware

Katie Speace, Dallastown, Pa. – kspeace@udel.edu
Staff reporter, The Review, University of Delaware

. . . is a column about our members’ personal and professional achievements. Names of new DPA members featured in this column are starred.

Please send any information about your honors, achievements and awards to news@delawarepressassociation.org by the 1st of any month for publication in the next issue.

• Kay Wood Bailey, president of A.B.C. Consulting Services, Inc., is vice president of membership statewide for the Delaware Air Force Association. For the last five years she was a state delegate to the National Air Force Association convention and was head of the convention’s Congressional breakfast delegation. In October, the AF Galaxy Chapter, serving Kent and Sussex counties, presented her with the Air Force Association Medal of Merit on behalf of the national AF association “for an outstanding job in support of operations for the Galaxy Chapter in 2010 and for using her communication skills on their behalf.” Kay’s lifetime of professional achievement was confirmed when she was selected as both Delaware Press Association’s and the National Federation of Press Women’s 2002 Communicator of Achievement, the highest honor either organization bestows on its members.
Contact Kay Bailey at kwbailey@harringtonera.com.

• Award-winning writer and editor Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt specializes in social media management and training and in content/video creation. She also helps small business creatives get their online marketing percolating and invites you to visit her business Web site: CreativesMarketing.com. Sheri's picture book for children, You Think It's Easy Being the Tooth Fairy?, has sold more than 16,000 copies and is now available in English, Hebrew and French. Oui, oui! Treat yourself and watch the tooth-fairy book-promo video. FYI, look for Sheri’s new Salt Lake City address in the DPA membership directory.
Contact Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt at Sheri@Bell-Rehwoldt.com, or through her Web sites: Bell-Rehwoldt.com and 4kids.Bell-Rehwoldt.com.

• Patrick Canfield, musician (trumpet) and author of ten books, was a member of the 692nd Army Air Force Band during World War II. His latest book, The Band Played On, is dedicated to the members of the 692nd band and contains many photos of Pat and the men with whom he served. Pat says, “It was our assignment to entertain the troops at home and abroad. While in the States, we participated in bond rallies, parades, military duties and concerts. We played the music of Glenn Miller and the big bands for the enjoyment of the troops, enlisted men and officers. We spent a year and a half overseas where we continued to entertain and perform military duties. The material and stories were taken from the diary I kept from the day we left New York Harbor for the war in Europe until the day we returned on a Liberty Ship and landed in New York City.” Read more about Pat, “one of America’s great storytellers,” and the many books he’s written: patrickcanfield.com.
Contact Pat Canfield at pmcanfield@verizon.net.

• Irene Fick has relocated to Lewes and says, “I love it here.” She has a new e-mail address: irenefick@comcast.net and a new landline number: 302-644-4850 (cell remains the same). She looks forward to getting involved with the Rehoboth Writers Guild, and her poetry will be published in the new anthology, No Place Like Here . . . An Anthology of Southern Delaware Poetry and Prose, due out in the spring of 2011. Other DPA members whose work was accepted for the anthology: JoAnn Balingit, Linda Blaskey, Jamie Brown, Wendy Ingersoll, Maria Keane and Billie Travalini.
Contact Irene Fick at irenefick@comcast.net.

• Delaware Press Association President Mark Fowser, who worked at WILM Newsradio for 17 years, is now a contributor to DFM News, an independent news service produced by Delaware First Media, a non-profit corporation. DFM’s purpose is to provide "original, in-depth, Delaware-specific news and commentary." Mark wrote about Delaware's turbulent primary election, the impact of the Tea Party, and local job-creation programs. For more on DFM, visit delawarefirst.org. Mark is also a reporter with WHYY-90.9 FM and its Web site, newsworks.org, and he’s working as a radio traffic-and-news reporter in Philadelphia.
Contact Mark Fowser at mafowser@hotmail.com.

• Karen Galanaugh, APR, attended the Temple University Annual Lew Klein Media Awards as an honored guest of the dean of the department of strategic communication. Robin Roberts of “Good Morning America” was honored with the Excellence in the Media Award.

Karen, together with Cheryl Fleming, manager of external communication at Sanford School, attended the annual NFPW communications conference, held at the elegant Union League Club in Chicago in August. They were in the audience when DPA’s 2010 Communicator of Achievement, Theresa Gawlas Medoff, was honored and when it was announced that DPA was tied for first in gaining new NFPW members in 2010.

Karen said, “My favorite workshop presentations were ‘Journalism Law and Ethics’ by Margaret Graham Tebo, Esq., who teaches media law at Columbia College, Chicago, and a seminar in two parts, ‘Saving Yourself: Recreating Your Life in Memoir Writing,’ by Michele Weldon, an award-winning journalist for more than 30 years, an assistant professor at the Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University, and the author of three books. Comedy writer Dan Bain was excellent; he focused on the do’s and dont’s of humor writing and the art of infusing humor into serious writing.”

She added: “Having the Union League Club of Chicago as conference headquarters was a tremendous bonus. You can stay there only by invitation. We were given a private tour of some of the club’s art collection, consisting of nearly 800 works (paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures and decorative arts), the majority of which are on view throughout the club and equal to that of any great museum. And the food there was phenomenal.

“We also enjoyed tours of the Chicago neighborhoods, and the architectural river tour offered a good overview of the history of a city that gives its residents a sense of place in a dynamic, urban environment.”

• “To them, I'm a blurry face among thousands they've played for. To me, they're my first true love.” So begins the article, “And they were cute: The Hooters and me,” by Tara Lynn Johnson, “the biggest fan ever” of the Philadelphia rock band she says is “best known for opening Live Aid in 1985 and for pop hits such as ‘And We Danced’ and ‘All You Zombies.’ They're my Beatles.” Drummer David Uosikkinen (pictured at right with Tara in 1990) was her favorite. Tara was delighted that soon after the article was posted on Philly.com on November 26, 2010, “their management company saw the piece and gave me backstage passes, so I got to meet the band again after all these years. What a thrill! Eric Bazilian, their lead singer and songwriter, told me that my essay made his mom cry.” Read Tara's article and learn about her strategies for meeting the band for the first time – 20 years ago!
Contact Tara Lynn Johnson at taralj@gmail.com.

• Nancy Lopez currently is working with Traffic Radio Network as a statewide Spanish/English-speaking traffic reporter and also as a sponsorship sales executive.
Contact Nancy Lopez at delawarehispanic@yahoo.com. PSA

• At the 2010 conference of the Photographic Society of America in Charleston, S.C., Lynn Maniscalco received the organization’s Editorial Double Gold Star award for her contributions over the years to the monthly PSA Journal, only the eighth person to be so honored since the award was established in 1957. She also was given the society’s service medal in recognition of extensive administrative involvement in organization activities. Both presentations were made on October 6 before 400 attendees from across the US and from seven other countries.

• Terry Plowman, editor and publisher of Delaware Beach Life, won awards at the state, regional and national level this year. The International Regional Magazine Association named DBL a finalist for “Magazine of the Year” – the highest honor given in the category of Up to 40,000 Circulation – in the 30th Annual IRMA Awards competition. Terry also garnered a first-place award in the 2010 DPA Communications Contest for “Beach Briefs” in the category Pages Regularly Edited by Entrant, General or Specialized (lifestyle or entertainment) and took national first-place honors in the same category in the National Federation of Press Women’s annual competition. He also received a third-place award in one of the most challenging DPA contest categories: Publications Regularly Edited by Entrant, General or Specialized.
Contact Terry Plowman at info@delawarebeachlife.com.

• Greg Smith, author of the award-winning novel Final Price, says, “I’m thrilled to announce that my publisher, AmazonEncore, has entered into a distribution agreement that will put Final Price into 3,000 CVS stores throughout the South and California! These guys rock! We don’t know exactly when the books will hit the shelves, but it should be pretty soon. I’ll keep everyone posted.”

Greg is garnering some good reviews about the novel, in which a couple of detectives chase frustrated car salesman Seamus Ryan, who is killing customers who have treated him with disdain. A reviewer for crimespreemag.com states: “It’s a fast moving and humorous book. Smith has a wicked sense of humor and somewhat disturbed mind, and luckily for us he’s using both to write books. We want more.”

Self published in August 2009, the book was signed to a deal with AmazonEncore, a new traditional publishing arm of Amazon.com, last spring. After a fresh edit and with a new cover, the book was re-released nationally on November 2. In addition to being available in print and e-book from Amazon, Final Price is available through bookstores and other outlets.

Greg, who owns a Kindle, reports additional publishing success: “I responded to Dan Newman's op-ed, 'A Kindle for Christmas? Spare Me,’ in the December 10 edition of The Wall Street Journal. I wanted to stick up for e-readers in general and Kindles in particular (since I own one). I was very happy to see they published it in the December 15 letters section.” Greg’s message says in part:

"I never thought that I would enjoy reading an e-book. One long plane ride convinced me. The device got out of my way and allowed me to get lost in the story I was reading. Just like a ‘real’ book. I still love paper books and am happy that it isn't an either-or proposition. But I do enjoy the convenience of a Kindle and its ease of use. As a recently published novelist, I also appreciate any and every way to reach new readers.”

Read a review of Final Price by John Burdett, author of 3 nationally best-selling thrillers, and enjoy an interview with Greg on the Amazon Web site.

Contact Greg Smith at gregsmithbooks@yahoo.com.

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Pick your own date: Free Writes. On any given Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Saturday, you can jump-start your creative process and experiment with your writing styles in the company of other writers at all skill levels. Just show up with pen and paper or laptop. No RSVP required. Free and facilitated by the Rehoboth Beach Writers Guild. For more info: 302-226-8210 or contactus@rehobothbeachwritersguild.com.

06 Annual Outlook to 2011 Breakfast – “Insights, Plans & Predictions for the 12 Months Ahead” at The Union League, 140 South Broad Street, Philadelphia. Sponsored by the Philadelphia Ad Club. Breakfast: 8–8:30 a.m. Program 8:30–10 a.m. What marketing, advertising, and communications plans are in the making? Where do companies see themselves and the competition a year from now? How are they going to get there? What influences will the current political, economic, social and environmental landscape have on corporate direction? Moderator: Peter Van Allen, Reporter, Philadelphia Business Journal. Cost: $25 Members, $40 Non-members. To register, e-mail office@phillyadclub.com.

08 My Career Transition – “New perspectives on the job search process.” 9:45–11:45 a.m. Penn State Great Valley Campus, Malvern, Pa. Resumes, networking and interviewing remain an important part of the job search, and technology has added more ways of researching opportunities and building new relationships. But employers now expect prospective employees to be informed about all aspects of the opportunity before the interview. This workshop will guide participants through the steps of assessing the effectiveness of their job search, make decisions regarding use of resources and set achievable goals for the New Year. Methods to maintain overall mental health during the job search will also be presented. Click here for more info and to register. Cost: Free

08 Second Saturday Poets – Longstanding Wilmington reading series that includes two featured poets, followed by 10–15 individuals who read a selection during an hour-long open mic. 5–7 p.m. Upstairs at Shenanigans Irish Pub & Grill, 125 N. Market Street, Wilmington (one block off Martin Luther King Boulevard). Second Saturday patrons may park without charge in the Al's Sporting Goods lot directly across the street from Shenanigans. For more info about the venue, including directions and menu: shenanigansonmarket.com. Prospective poets interested in being a featured reader during 2011 should e-mail rhambling@verizon.net.

10 DPA Communications Contest entry deadline. The DPA Communications Contest encourages and rewards excellence in communication and provides an opportunity to compete in various print or electronic broadcasting categories. Contest winners are honored at the DPA Annual Meeting and Contest Awards Banquet each spring. First-place winners who are members of the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW) may enter the national competition. Open to all professional communicators in Delaware. Direct contest questions to Annie Nefosky at 302-750-0982 or annienefosky@yahoo.com.

12 Personal Branding Seminar with Terri Whitaker. 7:30–11 a.m. Pyramid Club, 1735 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pa. Senior execs, entrepreneurs, people-in-transition and those looking for a promotion (or just to keep a job) all feel the need to project a certain image. But the pressure to show how you are detail-oriented, self-motivated, an early-riser, calm, collected and organized is strong. Pretending to be "all that and more" adds to stress and fatigue and promotes further need to continue to pretend. Wouldn't it be so much easier if you could brand your true self and behave accordingly? Learn how to promote yourself successfully and have your headshot done. Cost: $50 Members; $60 Non-members. To register, call the reception desk at 215-567-6510.

13 PRSA Philadelphia – “Passport to PRSA Philly” annual membership meeting, Ladder 15, 1528 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102. 6-8 p.m. Join the PRSA Philadelphia Chapter (prsaphilly.org) for its annual membership meeting to kick off the New Year with a fun-filled night of networking. Get your “passport” to all things PRSA Philly at the door and take a trip around the world of PR (Philadelphia style), getting to know the many member benefits the chapter has to offer. Cost: $10 members, $15 non-members. Price includes light hors d’oeuvres and one free drink. Happy hour drink specials also will be available.

13 Delaware Press Association (DPA) Board Meeting. Methodist Country House, Room 4318 (ask for directions at desk), 4830 Kennett Pike, Wilmington. 6:15 p.m. All DPA members are welcome to attend.

18 Social Media: From the Inside Out. Hosted by IABC Philadelphia. 6–7:30 p.m. Sheraton Suites, 422 Delaware Avenue, Wilmington. Speaker: Beth Harte, a graduate-level adjunct professor at Immaculata University in Pa. and Rutgers University in N.J., is a marketer, blogger, speaker and connector (people & dots). For 15 years, she has helped companies of all sizes (from start-up to Fortune 500 and those with global reach) with their integrated marketing communications and strategic planning efforts, including product development, branding, PR, digital marketing and social media efforts. This session covers how to bridge internal departments, effective social media practices (concept and tools), and agile and effective internal and external online communications. Topics covered include: Corporate Culture, Social Technologies, Understanding Risk, Developing Policies, Employee Collaboration & Knowledge Transfer, and Real-Time Engagement. Cost: $35 Members; $45 Non-members; $10 Students. Click here for more info or to register.

29 Delaware Literary Connection Poetry Workshop “Revising Poetry: the Art of Refinement” at the Kirkwood Highway Library, Wilmington. 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m. Workshop Leader: Josiah Bancroft, Cecil County Community College in North East, Md. Workshop includes practical methods for assessing a poem on its own terms and will include a review of basic methods of revision. Participants are invited to bring two copies of a single poem they believe might benefit from revision. Over the course of the workshop, participants will have an opportunity to: identify the particular vision of their poem; begin to experiment with the discussed methods of revision; and share their revision with the group. Free to the public (lunch included). Early registration is encouraged. Registration limited to 20 participants. Please contact graybeg@comcast.net.

29 Media Access Workshop at NBC Philadelphia Studios, City Line Avenue and Monument Road. 9:30 a.m.–2 p.m. Sponsored by The Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists (pabj.org) and The Philadelphia Black Public Relations Society. Registration deadline January 14. Space is limited. Pre-registration required. RSVP to access@pabj.org. For more information on PABJ, visit pabj.org.

15 The Out & About / Delaware Literary Connection Prose Writing Contest - Open for submissions. Writers, warm up your pens, notepads, computers. Let’s see your best 1,500 words. Contest entries may be fiction or nonfiction. Theme: Turning Points. Winners will be announced in the April issue of Out & About Magazine. Entries should be sent to: Delaware Literary Connection, 237 Cayman Court, Wilmington, DE 19808. Prizes will be awarded to the winner and first and second runners-up.

27 Monitoring Hollywood III panel discussion that explores the image of race in Hollywood, with special focus on Tyler Perry’s controversial film “For Colored Girls.” 7–9 p.m. Venue to be announced. Sponsored by the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists (pabj.org).

6–13 The 2011 Philadelphia International Flower Show “Springtime in Paris” at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Guests will be greeted with a bucolic park scene along the Seine. Flowering trees, lilacs, roses and borders of lavender will lead visitors through gardens inspired by the Tuileries. A daring Moulin Rouge atmosphere will pulse with cabaret performances and will feature spectacular flower sculptures and carousel topiaries. Enjoy more than 60 gardens, free gardening and cooking demonstrations, live music, can-can dancers, family lounge and free wine and spirits tasting. Cost: Adult $25; Student $20. Discounted tickets available. Call 215-988-8800 for more information.

13–19 Sunshine Week. Although spearheaded by journalists, Sunshine Week is about the public's right to know what its government is doing and why. Sunshine Week seeks to enlighten and empower people to play an active role in their government at all levels and to give them access to information that makes their lives better and their communities stronger. For more info: www.sunshineweek.org.

31 – 4/2 Religious Communicators Council 2011 Convention – “Communicating Outside the Box!” Recent technological changes and social media have revolutionized communication. People have increasingly told pollsters they are “spiritual” but not “religious.” The number of Americans claiming no religious affiliation has grown. How do faith communities – and religion communicators – respond to this dynamic cultural environment? Speakers include: Dr. Abderrahim Foukara, Head of Operations for Al Jazeera, United States Branch; D. Paul Monteiro, Associate Director, White House Office of Public Engagement. Click here for detailed conference info (fee, schedule, venue, hotel rates) and to register.

27 Poetry & The Creative Mind Gala at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, New York. 6:30–11 p.m. Sponsored by the Academy of American Poets. Some of America's leading artists, scholars and public figures will participate in this extraordinary evening celebrating the role of contemporary poetry in American culture. Past readers include Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mia Farrow, Joan Baez, Zadie Smith and Wynton Marsalis, among others. For more information, call 212-274-0343.

30 8th Annual Walk for the Animals at the Beach sponsored by the Delaware Humane Association. Bring your dogs along for a two-mile fun walk along the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk. Contact Sandy Leigh at sleigh@dehumane.org or 302-571-8171 x 307 for sponsorship information.

Janis Shields, Editor
Katherine Ward, Copy Editor/Layout
Mary Leah Christmas, Copy Editor
Mary E. Loewenstein-Anderson, Photo Editor
Jim Smigie, Photo Editor
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