kids color knoxville

A Colorful 5K for Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee Mock Proposal by Cassie Dunning

table of contents
Executive Summary Event Plan ____________ Message Strategy Example Writing Samples Social Media Release Feature Story Talking Points _____ Fact Sheet Additional Writing Samples News Release Media Advisory ____ Biography ________ ______ 3 4 8

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executive summary
Problem Statement:
Over the past five years, our organization has experienced a decline in individual donations and media coverage due to the economic recession. Therefore, our necessary programs and services suffered due to the decline in community support. It is imperative to the organizations success to increase awareness with the media and within the Knoxville community.

Objectives:
To increase media exposure by 50% over the course of 2014. To accomplish this objective, the media would promote and cover the community-related event in 2014. To increase event attendance from last years 200 participants to 400 participants in 2014. To increase the individual donor support base by 40% with an average gift of $50 by the start of 2015. Sponsored by The Kroger Co., Ulrich Printing and The Runners Market, Kids Color Knoxville will provide a unique gateway to communication the need for healthy lifestyles in Knoxvilles youth. The event will be communicated through the downtown and west areas of Knoxville by way of social media, flyers, posters and news stories.

Preview:

Related Materials:
Social Media Release Feature Story Talking Points Fact Sheet

event plan
Kids Color Knoxville, a 5K for Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee When: March 8, 2014, 9:45 a.m. Where: Worlds Fair Park and the surrounding downtown area Why: For cultivation and recognition of BBBS in East Tennessee

Invitations:
200 posters will be distributed throughout grocery stores, coffee shops, local businesses in the downtown and west areas of Knoxville. Email-blasts and flyers will be sent internally and externally through the BBBS database and the sponsors respective networks. Paper flyers at each sponsors business and through BBBS board members respective companies.

Guest List Specifications:

Meetings with each sponsor to negotiate respective partnerships. An EMT will be on location for safety needs. Invitation to Mayor Rogero to kick off the race. Invite BBBSETN Board Members and their families to be representatives and spearhead volunteer opportunities. Invitations to local businesses, to build local credibility and invitation. Invite UT students that participate from organizations within the university. These could be athletic teams, sorority and fraternity groups, ecology and recycling groups, etc. for volunteering opportunities.

Number of Expected Guests:

500 guests are expected overall. 475 are projected to preregister. 25 guests are expected to register the day of the race.

Invitation Style/ Type:

Email-blasts Posters Facebook invites Flyers

RSVP:
To attend the race, www.kidscolorknoxville.com will have online registration, donation abilities, volunteer opportunities, sponsorship website connections and more information.

There will also be a pre-pick up and registration opportunity with The Runners Market the week of the race. Pre-pick up packages will include: Kroger water bottle, coupons from sponsors, and an official Kids Color Knoxville T-shirt

Speakers:
The BBBSETN presidents attendance is required to welcome participants to the race. Representatives from sponsorships will be required to be on stage before the race. Mayor Rogero will signal the beginning of the race. She will also speak of the influence an adult can have on a childs life and the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Talking points will be provided. A former little and their big to shed light of the affects of BBBS in his or her life.

VIP Attendees:
Mayor Madeline Rogero is a well-known believer in healthy lifestyles for children and families in Knoxville.

Sponsors:
Each sponsor has been strategically selected in regards to its connection with the community, by way of influence or locality. Sponsors will hold a booth at the event with promotions on the flyers, posters, Tshirts, etc. The Runners Market - Will provide in-house registration before the event. The Kroger Co. Will sponsor $5,000 for permits and other expenses. It will provide healthy post-race snacks at a booth set up at Worlds Fair Park. The book will be open before and after the race. Ulrich Printing - Will help provide banners, flyers and posters prior to the event.

Estimated Revenue:
Preregistration - 325 guests x $40 ticket price = $13,000 Day-Of Registration - 25 guests x $55 ticket price = $1,375 Donation from Kroger Sponsorship - $5,000 *Will go towards permits and rentals for the event

Strategic Fit:
Connection- Kids Color Knoxville is an opportunity to connect BBBS of East Tennessee with the City of Knoxville in a fun, healthy light. BBBS is an international organization that affects individuals in specific communities. The event should connect its name with the city of Knoxville by allowing bigs and littles to spend time together, while connecting them with people outside the organization. Awareness- By connecting BBBS to Knoxville, a sense of awareness will be gained throughout the community to gain more support and volunteers.

Target Audience:
A few of the audiences BBBS of East Tennessee hopes to connect a sense of awareness with are: Existing bigs and littles in Knoxville Knoxville area runners Downtown Knoxville residents West Knoxville residents

Event Timeline:
Monday, December 16, 2013 Meetings with Sponsors begin. Monday, January 6, 2014 Website opens Pre-registration begins - $40, online only. Send out invitations. Monday, February 3, 2014 Flyers and posters will be distributed. Monday, March 3, 2013 Pick- up registration packets begins at The Runners Market Each registration packet will include a T-shirt, color packet, and water bottle. Friday, March 7, 2014 6:00 p.m. - Volunteer check-in for set-up will begin 6:30 p.m. - Set-up for the Worlds Fair portion of the event will begin. Saturday, March 8, 2014 6:00 a.m. - Final set-up will begin at Worlds Fair Park. 6:30 a.m. - Volunteer check-in will begin. 7:00 a.m. - Participant check-in and sign-ups begin. The cost is $45 on the day of the race. 8:45 a.m. - Police will begin securing roadways for the event. Plans and pay will be provided. Water stations will be set-up. 9:25 a.m. - Participants will meet at the starting line. 9:30 a.m. - Tiffany Gardner, the executive president, will welcome participants to the event. Executives from each sponsor will join Gardner on stage. 9:35 a.m. - BBBS testimony from former mentor and participant. 9:40 a.m. - Pledge of Allegiance and national anthem sung by littles. 9:45 a.m. - Mayor Rogero will speak of the importance of healthy lifestyles in youth before starting the race by air-horn. 11:15 a.m. - Gardner will issue closing statements. Music, booths and healthy refreshments will follow. 12:15 p.m. - Volunteers will begin to clean up, once roads are closed. 12:45 p.m. - Break down of equipment. 1:30 p.m. - Permit time ends. 6

Media/ Communications:
BBBS will distribute news releases to local media, through its connection of its board members. Talking points will be created for Mayor Rogero to speak from in the beginning of the race. Meetings with sponsors to discuss volunteer participation, donations and partnerships will need to begin immediately.

Objectives:
To increase media exposure by 50% over the course of 2014. To accomplish this objective, the media would promote and cover the community-related event in 2014. To increase event attendance from last years 200 participants to 400 participants in 2014. To increase the individual donor support base by 40% with an average gift of $50 by the start of 2015.

Signs of Success:
Signs of success will come from meeting the stated objectives. These will ensure growth within the organization by funding and participation.

Considerations:
The amount of volunteers needed and the tactics to secure them. Road closings, permits of Worlds Fair Park, and logistics of colored powder send offs. Permits must be obtained to block off roads in the downtown area for the event from 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Appropriate permits will be needed to reserve Worlds Fair Park the night before the event until 1:30 p.m. Communication tactics with rentals, volunteers, police How the expenses listed below will affect the overall income. Website Color Packets T-shirts Registration bag Tents Chairs Staging P.A. System Trash Cans Bathroom Facilities

message strategy
Overall Approach
The communication approach fro Kids Color Knoxville, is to highlight the fun and exciting environment the color race will have for Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee.

Audience Fit
The audiences targeted for Kids Color Knoxville have an interest in running, the community at large or the organizations functions. Runners are always looking for races to connect with other runners. Kids Color Knoxville allows them to connect with others that have the same interests while giving to a cause that directly affects the community. Current mentors are given the opportunity to connect with other mentors, while spending quality time with their littles. The race can provide an example of a healthy lifestyle that each child can have. Residents in the West Knoxville area, can be a target audience based off the median income the zip code has. These residents generally have more time to give to extracurricular activities.

Proposed Key Messages:

Audience: Runners in the Knoxville area Communication Tool: Social Media Key Message: Make running fun by helping Knoxville students succeed. Kids Color Knoxville makes exercising fun for kids and adults. By tossing colored powder during the race, you can make running a unique and inviting experience for everyone. This race will change the way you think about exercising. By joining Kids Color Knoxville you can have a colorful experience to instill lifelong mentors for children in the community. Kids Color Knoxville creates a fun and exciting atmosphere to stay healthy. Throw come color in the air and celebrate mentorship in Knoxville. Audience: Current BBBS mentors in the Knoxville area Communication Tool: E-Mail Brochure Key Message: Littles and bigs can spend time together. Have a good time with your little while helping other children achieve lifelong success. Kids Color Knoxville will provide the color, so you can spend time with your little in a Kids Color Knoxville allows bigs and littles the chance to run with others in the community. By throwing color in the air, you and your little can spend quality time together while swapping stories with other BBBS mentors. Spend time with your little in a fun and exciting way by participating in BBBS of East Tennessees color run. Kids Color Knoxville helps children get the same opportunity youve given your little.

Audience: Residents living in West Knoxville Communication Tool: Feature Story Key Message: Show kids you care. Invite your families and friends in celebrating each kid in Knoxville. By joining Kids Color Knoxville you can create opportunities for healthy lifestyles, relationally and physically. By joining Kids Color Knoxville you help students succeed outside the classroom with a mentor, through Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee. Join Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee in finding mentors for children across Knoxville. Volunteer opportunities are available for Kids Color Knoxville . Joining our cause doesnt have to be a long-term investment.

Supporting Strategy Materials:

Social Media Release On social media, I would position Kids Color Knoxville as a fun and healthy event for children in the Knoxville area. Social media can be an effective tool for using tactics like videos and reminders for target audiences such as big brothers, big sisters, runners and mothers. This would help engage potentials and participants in the excitement of the race. Feature Story A feature story in a newspaper like the News Sentinel could humanize a project that already occurred. By featuring a big/little duo that participated in the run, the effects of the organization could be brought to life. This would also feature the organizations values as a whole. To obtain the story, I would pitch the idea to Susan Alexander, feature editor of the News Sentinel. The News Sentinel is a prominent newspaper in the area that could seal the validity of the event. Talking Points A script with talking points will be needed to guide each speaker before and after the race. Executive president, Tiffany Gardner will welcome the participants to the event by telling them about the organization and how the race will help BBBSETN. Gardner will then welcome up a former BBBS mentor and student. This pair will be asked to provide their story to a series of questions that will be asked prior. Next, Gardner will introduce a group of littles that will sing the national anthem and lead the pledge of allegiance. Mayor Rogero will be the last speaker before the race begins. She will speak of the importance of healthy lifestyles in children. These are lifestyles that come from both nutrition and relationships. Gardner will end the race with closing statements and thanks once the race ends Fact Sheet A fact sheet will be provided for the media to learn more information. It will contain more information about the organization. These sheets will be provided to the media who attend the event, as well as provided on the website.

Below is the login and password for the Pitch Engine account that holds the events social media release. Pitch Engine Login: cdunnin3@utk.edu Password: publicrelations320 Brand: PR 320 Pitches

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A Colorful Kids 5K Takes Knoxville By Storm

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. February 28, 2014 Hundreds of pounds of colored cornstarch fill a back room off Summit Hill Drive. These supplies are being held for the 400 projected participants in Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessees 2nd Annual Kids Color Knoxville 5K. Sponsored by The Kroger Co., Ulrich Printing and The Runners Market, Kids Color Knoxville will send runners and walkers into a downtown course to celebrate healthy lifestyles for children. The event will cost $40 for those that preregister and $55 for day-of registers. All proceeds will go to Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee. To donate, register or find more information visit www.kidscolorknoxville.com.

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To: Susan Alexander (Knoxville News Sentinel) From: cdunning@bbbs.org Subject: Story Idea For Local Color Race Dear Susan, The Knoxville News Sentinel would be the perfect outlet for a story on Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessees color race, Kids Color Knoxville. Sponsored by Ulrich Printing, The Kroger Co. and The Runners Market, the 5K is working to gain new supporters and volunteers by celebrating healthy lifestyles in a fun and unique way.
Kids Color Knoxville is an opportunity to unite Knoxville residents by celebrating healthy

relationships and lifestyles. Speakers at the event include BBBSETN executive president Tiffany Gardner and Mayor Madeline Rogero. Former Big Brother and Little Brother, Jesse Smith and Josh Taylor, will also be available for questions on mentor-based relationships. Id love to connect you with our speakers for an exclusive interview. There may also be access for other BBBS participant interviews. Please feel free to email me if you have any additional questions. I will call you by the end of the week if I dont hear from you. Thanks, Cassie Dunning 615.785.3890 cdunning@bbbs.org

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talking points
Executive President, Tiffany Gardner - Opening Statements
Welcome participants to the event. Thank and introduce one executive from each of the sponsors. Brad Preston The Kroger Co. Healthy snacks, waters and funds to make the day possible. Kristie Jacobs The Runners Market Providing a location for in-house registration and more information. John Ulrich - Ulrich Printing Providing all flyers, banners and posters for the event. Mission of BBBS and what the organization hopes to accomplish. Mission To help each child reach his or her potential through individual relationships with a mentor for measurable results. Vision To have successful mentor-based relationships for every child that needs or wants them. Through these relationships they have the advantages towards brighter futures, better schools, and stronger communities for all. Participating in the 5K allows the mentors to continue to be an active figure in his or her littles life. Mentors are proven to help children succeed in higher education and remove behavioral problems. They also can keep kids in healthy environments and out of gang violence. Mentors are still needed for hundreds of children across the nation.

Former Big Brother and Little Brother, Jesse Smith and Josh Taylor - Testimony
Their story with BBBSETN How their relationship came about What their relationship looks like Where they are now

Executive President, Tiffany Gardner Littles Introduction

Welcome littles from the Lonsdale community to the stage. Collective blurb about the group of students; schools, grades, interests and impact. Introduce eighth grade little, Jackie Johnson, to lead the Pled ge of Allegiance. After the National Anthem, thank the littles and their mentors for all their hard work and success in the classroom. Introduce Mayor Rogero to the microphone.

Mayor of Knoxville, Madeline Rogero Statements and Send-Off

Healthy lifestyles come from healthy relationships. Children become more successful in life when they obtain the proper nutrition and exercise, while having positive adult figures to guide them. Emphasize the importance of healthy opportunities for all children in Knoxville. Tell the participants to have fun, stay safe and throw their color bombs in the air. Signal the race by air-horn after counting down from ten.

Executive President, Tiffany Gardner Closing Statements

Thank all the participants and sponsors for their efforts. Ask people to stick around for refreshments sponsored by Kroger and visit the booths

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