President’s Message: 3 Ways to Get Involved

Getting involved is the best way to take advantage of your FPRA membership. Here are three ways you can get active and #ThinkFPRA:

1. Submit an entry to Image Awards by Feb. 28. Do you want to impress your boss by receiving recognition for your excellent PR work? Then take the time to submit for Image. See tips on putting together a winning entry here.
2. Join our scholarship committee. For years, FPRA has raised money for student scholarships. I recently represented FPRA at a luncheon hosted by UCF recognizing donors, where I spoke with student winners and learned the true impact of our scholarships. We’re in the process of planning our next fundraiser – can you help? If so, contact me.
3. Share your expertise with students. Our student chapter at UCF, Quotes, is looking for speakers. Learn how you can give back to the profession and become a guest speaker.

Regards,
Cynthia Lambert, APR  |  FPRA Orlando Area Chapter President
Contact me anytime! 407-481-5672 x320  |  clambert@metroplanorlando.com

Quotes Corner

By: Zane Beard, Quotes member

It’s a good thing that Carrie Proudfit of the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) likes shoes and cell phones because she has to carry a spare of each with her to work every day. After a draining day in the office, Proudfit attended the Quotes club meeting on Jan. 27 in her most comfy shoes – sandals. She also carries two cell phones, an iPad and a computer. It’s obvious to anyone who meets her, that she is a very busy, smart and competent employee of DCF.

As a new student of the UCF Public Relations program, I admit I am still trying to grasp all the nuances of PR. So when I met the laid-back but personal Proudfit at our club meeting , I could’ve sworn this couldn’t be it. The first thing she told the club is she works for DCF and the second thing she discussed was her shoes – one pair she wears to the office and for the public and the other, the sandals, she relies on for comfort.

We learned Proudfit is on call all the time. She talks to the media, deals with situations involving abused children and has to answer to her boss. Sometimes she gets called to a crime scene at 3 a.m. where a child has been beaten (or worse) and has to answer to the media immediately – and without emotion. It’s a hard job but somehow, she is able to diffuse those intense situations without breaking a sweat while making the organization appear competent and trustworthy to the public. Proudfit’s charisma lights up a room and she is amazingly chill despite seeing tragedies on a daily basis. Someday, I hope to be as skilled as Proudfit because she is obviously very competent.

Member PRofile: Kacie Boniberger

What is your title and company name?
Public Relations Coordinator, TJM Communications, Inc.

Give a brief explanation of your job.
TJM Communications, Inc., is a boutique lifestyle public relations firm, specializing in travel and tourism. As public relations coordinator, my primary duty is to provide account support for senior staff.

How many years have you been a part of FPRA? Why did you join?
I’ve been a member of FPRA since December 2011, when I joined as an advertising-public relations student at UCF. I joined FPRA simply to learn more about the industry and had no idea just how valuable my membership would become.

What was your favorite FPRA event?
I attended the FPRA annual conference in 2012 as a board member of Quotes, the UCF chapter of FPRA. Not only is it my favorite event because of the numerous learning and networking opportunities annual conference offers, but also because of the memories I made with the Quotes executive board. A highlight of the trip was bumping into Oscar Suris, vice president and head of corporate communications for Wells Fargo & Company, in the coffee shop next door. He just finished delivering the Dillin Keynote Address and briefly chatted with a few Quotes members and I about beginning our careers in the industry.

Tell us about an exciting achievement (personal or professional).
I completed my first half-marathon in November 2013.

Tell us something people may not know about you.
I studied music performance as a flute player at UCF for two years before changing my major to advertising-public relations. I recently decided to start playing again and joined the Central Florida Community Arts wind ensemble for the 2014 concert season.

Contact info:
kacie.boniberger@gmail.com
http://www.kacieboniberger.com

 

Chapter Rewind: Give Kids The World Extreme Village Makeover

By: Wendy Jo Moyer, APR

FPRA Orlando Area Chapter visited Give Kids The World Village on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014, to help with public relations efforts surrounding its “Extreme Village Makeover.” The two-week event renovated nearly 100 of the Village’s 140 villas with new appliances, floors, countertops and other upgrades.

FPRA members toured the non-profit storybook resort and learned about its efforts to provide unforgettable, cost-free vacations to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Following the tour, members visited the resort’s villas to interview and video-record the volunteers in action during the renovation, so the stories could be shared on the resort’s Facebook page and website. Members interviewed many volunteers including a woman who drove to Kissimmee from Atlanta to help with the renovations.

Other FPRA members updated the Village’s Facebook page to respond to hundreds of touching stories and compliments about the resort.

For more information on Give Kids the World and the “Extreme Village Makeover,” visit www.gktw.org.

To see pictures from the event, click here.