Good Morning all;
Some of you already know that on September 9th, Friday before our next meeting, we are the ‘Spotlight’ business at the Mesa Chamber event “Mesa Morning Live”.
Every Mesa Chamber business gets this promotion in their 1st year in the Chamber.
We have received good leads and some great support from the exposure we have had through the Chamber. This event is ‘our time to shine’. We will be featured at the event but more importantly, we will be on the Mesa City TV channel for the entire month of October. October is traditionally when we advertise the Parade.
Our recently selected Grand Marshall is going to be present and we will have this event establish our Parade publicity through next 2 ½ months leading up to the Parade.
We are going to have a few minutes to tell everyone there and on TV what we are all about. I would like to ask each of you to attend to help show our strength and dedication to this event and our Veterans. Each of you play a huge role in the production of this Parade and It is my goal that everyone there understands the dedication of every member of the association. Without you there is no Parade.
The part where you show your dedication is twofold. It is being held at Crown Cresent on Friday November 9th.The event is early. We ask that you be there at 6:30 AM. The event starts at 7:00. The half hour before the event is the mingle time which is so important to create, or reinforce, relationships. The cost of the event is $20.00 if you register early. And $25.00 of you register at the door. If this not a hardship for you the cost is a deductible donation of $25.00. If attending is a hardship, and you do want to attend please let me know. The board has given permission to reimburse members under specific conditions.
The part that is great is we get an extreme amount of exposure, meet some old friends and/or make new ones. I almost forgot; a great breakfast is included.
Please join us on September 9th at 6:30 AM for this important Public Relations Function.
The organization of the Association has undergone a multitude of changes. One change that is still in progress is the “Grasshopper” phone system just implemented. Each of you has received, or will soon receive, an email with instructions for installing a phone app called Grasshopper. This system allows every member to have a ’virtual’ desk at the East Valley Veterans Parade Association’s virtual office.
Please check you emails in the future for a header (the top line of an email) including the word Grasshopper. When you get a Grasshopper it will be a voice record of the phone message.
I have started testing this with several people and it is working very well.
Another great result of this system is that we may be able to eliminate the walkie talkies we have to rent. If we can do that the system will pay for itself.
Look at the website. Coming soon is a new project that has been implemented called “MY VETERAN HERO”. It is a virtual plaque that honors individual veterans as requested by a donor, family member, friend etc. It is something that has the potential of providing an income for the Association that has no ties to the parade. It honors individual Veteran for an entire year. Erin will post these virtual plaques to Facebook & Twitter throughout the year during patriotic periods. It can be a unique memorial, birthday present anniversary present etc.… There will be a banner in the Parade if we get enough Hero’s.
Any Current member that wants to have their Veteran Hero on the page will receive their 1st entry as a thank you for your service to the Veterans Parade Association. These will show others about the program rather than a concept that is hard to visualize. In order to remain true to our charter the free entries will not be placed on the banner. Our goal is to produce paid entries is mid-October.
Please send me your information:
Your name address & Phone number
The name of your hero
The era (conflict) he/she served (if known)
Branch of Service (if Known)
Rate or Rank (if known)
A short description of why they are your hero.
Example:
Dianne Hagel 550 W Baseline Rd Mesa AZ 85210 480-684-2324 Ext 713
Woodrow Twyman
WWII
US Navy
YN 2
My Father who guided me and gave me my patriotic values
We are working on Facebook now.
The parade is counting.
Sid