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JANUARY ISSUE  NEWSLETTER
	President's Message Lara McCulloch lara@regaltent.com
As a year has come to an end, it's only natural to look ahead, with anticipation, at the year to come. And, although there are many exciting things planned for 2009, I wanted to take a moment to address our past accomplishments and give thanks. First and foremost, a big thanks you to our members, new and old, for making the first half of our fiscal year a huge success. In the first six months of our 2008/2009 year, we have seen: the most successful Gala event in ISES Toronto history, the launch and support of our sponsorship  program and phenomenal membership growth. Our members are such an integral component to building the culture of ISES Toronto and I'm excited by the prospect of getting to know all of you better in 2009. I would also like to recognize our sponsors. Both our ISES Toronto Annual Sponsors as well as our event sponsors have been dedicated to supporting our mandate to offer high quality events, education and experiences for our members. A perfect example of their commitment was the ISES Toronto Gala. For this event, over 15 different sponsors came together to create a spectacular evening for our guests. Lastly, I must thank our ISES Toronto Board of Directors. These individuals have worked tirelessly to make our chapter bigger and better than ever before…and are committed to continuing their efforts into 2009. Speaking of 2009…we look forward to introducing everyone to our newly formed ISES Canada committee. This group is made up of some of the most well respected veterans of the Canadian event industry. ISES Canada, led by Affiliate Chair Penni Holdham, CSEP, will serve and lead as an effective and powerful voice connecting the ISES Chapters in Canada to each other, the ISES Board of Governors, ISES Headquarters and the other International Affiliates. And they will ensure that all chapter leaders, and in turn the general membership, are held accountable to the mission and professionalism of ISES. Over the coming months, we will keep you apprised of news and developments. We have many exciting events and activities planned. In the interim, everyone at ISES Toronto wishes you and your family a Happy New Year! Sincerely, Lara McCulloch President, ISES Toronto Chapter ARE YOU SAFE? Wednesday, January 14, 2009 Stonegrill - 51B Winchester Street    5:30 - 9:00 pm COMBAT IDENTITY THEFT Don’t Be A Victim With identity theft emerging as the most rapidly growing crime in the 21st century, ISES Toronto wants you to be educated on the most sophisticated tactics in identity theft so you can take steps to avoid being a victim. Thieves lure people into providing usernames, account information, and other confidential information by creating look-alike websites to mimic legitimate companies. Identity theft can also start with simply losing your wallet, purse, or piece of confidential mail. Early detection is key to reducing the damages. Don’t wait until it’s too late. The only way to protect yourself is to be educated and avoid risks. This one hour session will help you: ·      UNDERSTAND how identity theft is committed; ·      PROTECT and PREVENT identity theft; ·      take steps to RESTORE your stolen identity; ·      LEARN about internet and online security solutions available. Guest Speaker: Cpl. Cathy McCrory General Investigation Impact Team -Toronto Airport Detachment REGISTRATION ISES Members $45.00 Non-Member $75.00  Student $30.00  ONLINE:                       Register online at www.isestoronto.com/mregister.html BY EMAIL:                    Send an email to info@isestoronto.com   BY FAX:                       Printout the PDF and fax to: 1-905-895-1630 EVENTS & MEETINGS RECAP Martin Rubio martin@vroommedia.com ISES Toronto October Meeting Report: Making Your Event "Press Worthy" By Andrea Johnson As creators of events we at times place our efforts on the conception and production of an event, but fail to put sufficient focus on publicizing the event itself. "Is Your Event Press Worthy? - Creating PR Buzz", ISES Toronto's October educational meeting, held at Events & Catering On The Park, focused on shedding light on this often overlooked but very important element of a successful event. Featured panelists for the evening were Mr. Chris Greenfield, Chief Curiosity Officer of CLEVER and Sandra Eagle, Director of Content for Meeting & Incentive Travel Magazine. A tour of Events on the Park was led by Chris Nikoletsos the Director of Hospitality and Food Services. Halloween themed décor was provided by Karen Garscadden of Up & Coming Events Inc. Social Media versus New Media Chris Greenfield's presentation compared the benefits of using social media (cocktail parties' conversations, networking events, etc) versus new media (web 2.0, blogs, social network sites, etc) to spread the message about an event. According to Mr. Greenfield, both social and new media are proving to be extremely effective as well as necessary tools. Today's new media has manifested itself through websites such as www.Facebook.com, www.Twitter.com, www.Digg.com, www.VenueSource.com, www.Delicious.com, www.StumbleUpon.com, www.relevantlyspeaking.com, www.eventpeeps.com, and www.vizthink.com. As per Mr. Greenfield, these tools have the ability to reach target markets in new, direct and novel ways. They also force you to be honest, as feedback tends to be quick and blatantly honest. In addition, Mr. Greenfield urged attendees to not forget about the event after it's finished. Instead, we need to participate in the conversation/ buzz that occurs after the event.   Pitching an Event to an Editor Of course publicity for an event can not only be online but can also be via more traditional means such as magazines, newspapers and television. Editor's often welcome a story idea; however an important part of getting pre or post publicity for an event is to know how to attract their attention. Sandra Eagle provided the following tips on doing just that. 1. Contact the Editor and not the advertising department. 2. Provide great visuals: Use jpeg or tiff images that are of high resolution - at least 300dpi 3. Make sure that the event fits with the readership of the medium. 4. The story should have WOW factor! It should be designed to grab the attention of the editor and his or her readers. 5. Be willing to be interviewed. 6. Provide contact details!!! 7. Keep it brief. 8. Ensure that your press release is up to professional standards 9. Edit and then re-edit your press release. Ensure that spelling, format and grammar are all up to par. 10. Do not place numerous follow-up calls to an editor. Why? If they like it they'll call you…but don't be a nuisance. If you need assistance Eagle suggests hiring a professional to do the writing for you (see www.jeffgaulin.com, a site consisting of journalists for hire) or consulting  www.badlanguage.net for the "62 Ways to Improve Your Press Release". So, is your event press worthy? If so, why not use new media, social media or traditional methods to get your event the publicity it deserves? And don't forget to participate in the post event conversations as they are of equal importance. The ISES Toronto 'White Nights' themed Gala held on November 11th was a multi sensory extravaganza, where we lit up the night at the Capitol Event Theatre and celebrated the art of entertaining! The Capitol is considered one of the best original venues in the heart of the city. This historic 'jewel' has been lovingly restored to its original 1918 grandeur, and was the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable evening. Period architecture and elegant vintage details combined to create a sophisticated old-world movie house in the convenience of a modern facility. Guests experienced a multi sensory White Nights adventure which began with the entire venue opulently designed in an 'elegant white glam décor' provided by Designing Trendz and Stardust Events. Not a single detail was spared…, the invitations and programs were designed by Rob Alexiou Creative, the balloon light sculptures provided by Airstar Canada, balloon décor provided by Balloon Corporate Events, and themed photographs and an amazing new engraving machine were provided by Party Extras. Guests were treated to Appleton Estate Rum and Ting 'Pink - Tini' cocktails and a multitude of tantalizing appetizers, catered by Events That Flow, upon arrival. Other temptations included decadent cupcakes designed by Roxycakes and an overflowing candy station, from Party Extras. Throughout the evening a roaming magician from Cobalt Entertainment kept guests mesmerized. As guests enjoyed their exquisite dinner, they witnessed spectacular performances by 'A2D2' Aerial Dance Circus Company and the young and talented singing sensation Jonah Freidman. And what would a great event be without a great MC? Alan Smithson of Star Productions not only provided the A/V for the evening but kept everyone laughing and entertained all night long. We were proud to recognize leaders within our chapter with our ISES Toronto awards. Alan Smithson was recognized as 'Supplier of the Year', Julie DeAngelis-Danaylov as 'Member of the Year', Penni Holdham CSEP as 'Leader of the Year' and Bryan Bell was awarded for 'Dedication'. This year, ISES Toronto partnered with the SickKids Foundation and 50% of the proceeds from our silent auction were donated to this worthy charity. Jade DeCiccio Development Coordinator, Community Involvement of the SickKids Foundation, gave a heartfelt speech which deeply touched all of the attendees. And it showed! Both the silent auction and the raffle were a resounding success. As a result $4,135 was proudly donated to the SickKids Foundation! For those of you who wish to continue to support ISES Toronto's fundraising initiative, you can still donate. Please visit http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=567402 On behalf of ISES Toronto and the SickKids Foundation we would like to thank all of our members and our sponsors for helping to create such a successful evening! UPCOMING EVENTS  Mark your calendar for these exciting events and meetings... Thursday February 19 WINNING BIG & GOING FOR GOLD: Getting Work With the 2010 Olympics Chocolate & Scotch Tasting Six Degrees Night Club     Yonge & Eglinton Thursday, March 26 Empower & Inspire Breakfast - Keys to being a True Leader with Doug Keeley from The Mark of A Leader Held in Conjunction with CSEME Conference & Trade Show Tuesday, April 21 Greening your Event   Updates on LEED Wednesday, May 20 Return on Investment How do you know if your event made a difference to the bottom line? Tuesday, June 9 Patio Crawl Venues with New & Excellent Patio Spaces To find out more about these and other upcoming events please visit: http://www.isestoronto.com/coming.html WELCOME NEW MEMBERS! We would like to extend a big welcome to all new members! Our membership continues to grow with a variety of Planners and Special Event service providers. ISES Toronto is dedicated to helping special events professionals produce outstanding results for clients while establishing positive working relationships with other event colleagues. Considering joining ISES? Now is the time! Discover how being part of our growing association will help you establish more business and expand your knowledge. Visit our website at http://www.isestoronto.com to learn more about the benefits of membership or contact Carol Ford at info@isestoronto.com Jeffery Crawford - Designing Trendz  jeffery@designingtrendz.com www.designingtrendz.com Jessica Diniz  - Sunnybrook Foundation jessica.diniz@sunnybrook.ca www.sunnybrookfoundation.ca April Hazan - Sunnybrook Foundation april.hazan@sunnybrook.ca www.sunnybrookfoundation.ca Brooke McClelland  - Earth Rangers Foundation bmcclelland@earthrangers.com www.earthrangers.org Sally Principio - Sunnybrook Foundation sally.principio-yong@sunnybrook.ca www.sunnybrookfoundation.ca Nicole Scott - Ontario Medical Association nscott30@yahoo.ca Carmen Veenema - Sunnybrook Foundation carmen.veenema@sunnybrook.ca www.sunnybrookfoundation.ca
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR CHAPTER SPONSORS...
INTERESTED IN BECOMING AN ISES TORONTO CHAPTER SPONSOR? Contact us at info@isestoronto.com for more details! If you do not wish to receive future emails from ISES Toronto, please reply to this message with (REMOVE) in the subject line   ISES Toronto Chapter 312 Oakwood Court. Newmarket, Ontario, Canada     L3Y 3C8 Tel: (905) 898-7434   Fax: (905) 895-1630 E: info@isestoronto.com    W: www.isestoronto.com