Oregon Chapter Pays & Works To Gain Media Attention

“We’re trying to promote the ASHI message in Oregon through media attention combined with volunteering and supporting the community,” Susan Walker, OAHI vice president, reported.

The chapter purchased 20 spots on the CBS Early Show, which supported the Kids First Campaign, a positive message program for parents about education and drug awareness.

The spots, four lines promoting OAHI and ASHI superimposed on the screen, aired on the show between 7-9 a.m. for two weeks.

In addition to paying for spots, chapter members publicized ASHI and OAHI by volunteering. 

Recently, ten chapter members spent a Saturday evening, 7 to 11 p.m., answering phones and accepting pledges for Channel 10, the local Oregon Public Broadcasting station.

“Ken Giblen and I got this idea when we attended chapter leadership training last year,” Walker explained. “We went to Creating and Operating a Vibrant Chapter given by David Sherwood and Warren Tomek.”

For Oregon’s volunteer efforts, she said, “We purchased t-shirts with the OAHI and ASHI logos, and everyone who came had a great time. It turned out to be a wonderful bonding experience because we all were out of our element trying to learn how to use the computers. We plan on doing it again in September.”

Photo:
Ken Giblen, OAHI president, and Susan Walker, OAHI vice president, wear ASHI and Oregon Chapter logo shirts as they work the Oregon Public Broadcasting membership drive – an idea they got from attending last year’s Chapter Leadership training.

Although it was too early for Walker to share results from the promotions, she did have a personal observation: “Since we started, these last two two months I’ve had five personal contacts from the ASHI site.”

The Personal Touch Works for MAC-ASHI

ASHI Certified Inspector Arthur Lazerow is on the MAC-ASHI Board and is co-chair of the Chapter Membership Committee.

He reports, “I have had great success these past four months calling each new ASHI Certified Inspector and Associate whose name is listed in the ASHI Reporter.”
He said those he contacts are “so appreciative of the attention, they invariably attend our next monthly meeting and ultimately join MAC-ASHI.”

This chapter is the Society’s oldest, but obviously its members continue to have a young-at-heart, go-getter attitude.

Chapter Leadership Training 2007

Attention Chapter Leaders
It’s time to plan for and decide who will attend this year’s Chapter Leadership event.

Who: Current and incoming chapter presidents, members involved with or interested in leadership, and new members identified as potential leaders.

When: Thursday afternoon and all day Friday, October 18-19, 2007

Where: Doubletree Hotel Chicago O’Hare – Rosemont, Ill.

CE hours: 6

How: Invitations will be sent out in August.

Questions? Contact Bob Kociolek at bobk@ashi.org or 847-954-3177.