Autoracer’s Monthly – This newsletter, created for amateur road racers, had solid content, a great look and well-known drivers contributing. As the publisher said, “Creating something like this is relatively easy. Getting rid of it is the hard part.” He had to find a way to tell drivers what the publication was and how to get it, plus figure how to track subscribers and their payments.
The Result? We sent copies to all auto racing publications and picked up the equivalent of more than $100,000 in free print exposure. We lined up nationwide phone interviews for the publisher and built a direct mail list of amateur racers, sending them sample pages and a discounted offer. Within the campaign’s first six weeks circulation went from zero to more than 10,000.
National Trust of the Cayman Islands – Dameron Communications staff took on the challenge of helping this small Caribbean island bring part of its history back to life. A tiny, wood, one-room shack had served as a World War seaside lookout for enemy ships and submarines, but it had been neglected for decades, stored and forgotten in an old garage. Few locals, let alone tourists, knew anything about it.
The Result? The room was restored and moved to its original site. Its history was researched and brass signage written, manufactured and installed at the location. Brochures telling the shack’s important history were written and printed. Queen Elizabeth II even attended its dedication, and the room became one of the island’s most popular tourist interests. Tying in with that project, our staff wrote, produced and directed an environmental underwater video shown in a donated kiosk at the island’s airport.
Ugly Duckling – The Southern California used car dealership that specialized in aiding low income customers needed to not only let the area’s potential buyers know how it could help them acquire a car, but to tell the nation and possible shareholders what they were doing.
The Result? A front page story in the nationwide USA Today newspaper, complete with photo and phone number, virtually doubled national business interest Ugly Duckling while increasing used auto sales in excess of 50%.
Auto Sound – The five-outlet electronics retailers enlisted Dameron Communications to increase sales.
The Result? We generated a 242% increase in sales in just six-weeks, producing the best sales period in the history of the business, and in 60 days built 150% in net profits.
San Bernardino City Councilman Rikke Van Johnson (on the right) congratulates LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc President Dr. Albert Arteaga (on the left) for helping 38 local residents receive free or low cost prescription drugs. The Montel Williams’ “Help is Here Express Bus” visited LaSalle Medical Associates in San Bernardino recently and helped 38 people enroll in a program offering free and low-cost prescriptions.
LaSalle Medical Associates – Its five Inland Empire clinics in California gladly participate in aiding the lower income community with its health needs. Dameron Communicated took on getting the word out regarding LaSalle’s leadership in providing quality health care to patients reguardless of incime. We also focused on LaSalle’s free childhood immunization programs, its free breast screening services, its financial support of the area’s Hurricane Katrina survivors, and its free flu-season immunizations.
The Results? Awards from the Medical Society an maore. Increased traffic to the clinics and increased awreness of the clinics.
Put your best fashion forward and walk off with a scholarship to The Art Institutes.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Converting your passion for fashion into a career in the design field or fashion merchandising industry is no easy task. One computer database lists nearly a thousand clothing designers, those with reputations and distribution and retail outlets.
Four years ago The Art Institutes of North America came up with a unique plan, a way to encourage and reward high school level fashion design students and those interested in fashion marketing and management with local and national competitions, competitions that would yield full tuition scholarships.
Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs for The Art Institutes Bruce Dempsey says, “There are so many wonderful fashion courses in high school today, and many students see a career in this industry within their reach.”
Monica Jeffs, The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire Senior Director of Admissions says this “Passion for Fashion” competition is exactly what the schools are about. “The Art Institutes stress hands-on education, not just burying a nose in a book and answering multiple choice questions. With this North America-wide competition, high school seniors may actually design apparel or create a fashion marketing or sales plan.”
While this is the fourth year of competition for the schools nationally, it’s just the first for the San Bernardino campus. As Jeffs says, “We just debuted our Fashion Design and the Fashion Marketing & Merchandising and Retail Management programs in July of this year, so this is the Inland Empire’s first participation in the Passion for Fashion competition. We expect, however, to have at least 50 area high school seniors competing.”
Winners at the local level will receive $3,000 in scholarship and go on to the U.S. and Canada competition where the two category winners each receive $89,000 scholarships with $5,000 and $4,000 scholarships earmarked for second and third place winners. The two categories are (1) Fashion Design and (2) Fashion Marketing & Merchandising and Retail Management.
At this level of competition, participation is more than just filling out a coupon on the back of a soft drink bottle. The Entry Requirements are clear: • Students must be high school seniors scheduled to graduate in 2009; • A school transcript must show at least a 2.0 GPA;
• For the Fashion Marketing & Merchandising and Retail Management category: • A short essay of up to 800 words must address how the entrant’s fashion creation will contribute to the advancement of the fashion industry, as well as what sparked the student’s interest in the fashion field; • Along with this, an original Fashion Marketing, Fashion Merchandising or Retail Management product or plan should be detailed, and might cover a retail store concept, marketing promotion, store layout, fashion business concept, new retail concept, an Internet fashion concept, a catalog retailing concept, home fashion concept or an industrial fashion/safety/consumer trend product; • An accompanying written description of up to 1,000 words is to detail this product or plan.
For the Fashion Design Category A short essay (800 words or less) outlining why your fashion entry is unique/innovative and explaining your interest and motivation for a career in fashion. • A finished, originally designed eveningwear garment product.* The product may be any of the following – shirt (size Medium); pants, dress, or skirt (women’s size 8 or men’s size 40); or suit, including blouse, pants, or skirt (women’s size 8 or men’s size 40). • Process Book (compiled in 8-1/2” x 11” binder), which serves as your design process summary, from original idea to finished product.
The book should include:
1. A written summary of your overall concept. 2. A review of influences on your entry, including fashion designers, music, television shows, or movies. 3. Sketches, illustrations, photographs, or digital images of your project as it evolved from concept to completion. 4. A written summary of people that you contacted for information about your project, including the advice they provided and its influence on you.
But the scholarship funding isn’t all that national recipients are accorded. Each of the two Grand Prize winners will have all-expense-paid trips to New York City for Fashion Week in February of 2009, a “meet and greet” at the offices of Seventeen Magazine, plus lunch with a Seventeen Magazine Style Pro.
For entry details go online to artinstitutes.edu/passionforfashion. The entry deadline is November 21, 2008.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Culinary Management, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion Design & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. There are also Associate of Science degrees in Graphic Design and Culinary Arts. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.
It’s not too late to start classes at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin Nov. 13 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.
For more information or a free tour of The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire call (909) 915-2100 or go on line to artinstitutes.edu/inlandempire.
The Art Institute of California –Inland Empire is one of the Art Institutes (artinstitutes.edu), a system of more than 40 locations throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals. -end-
(RIALTO, Calif.) Rialto City Council member Deborah Robertson is ready to lead the city as mayor.
“I have vision, leadership ability and commitment to lead Rialto through what will be a time of great opportunity,” she said. “We are facing challenges now, so it’s important to have strong leadership to steer us through them.
“My top priority as mayor will be to strengthen Rialto’s economic base,” Robertson continued. “We need to build up our revenue, so we can provide all of our citizens public safety, quality businesses and the other essentials of a good life in Rialto.”
Robertson has served on the Rialto City Council eight years and has lived in Rialto for 18. She’s active in the East Rialto Kiwanis, the National Council of Negro Women, HIV/AIDS awareness and education program Brothers and Sisters in Action and other local organizations.
In addition to her elected seat on the Council, Robertson is also the Deputy District Director of External Affairs for the California Department of Transportation, Los Angeles and Ventura counties. She has worked for the State of California for the last 20 years, and in her current position oversees a budget of about $4 million, plus is responsible for Public, Media and Government Affairs, Public Records, Small Business and Community Outreach and Graphic Service.
As she has on the Council, Robertson stated as Mayor she will continue to carefully analyze the issues before her and make decisions that are in the best interest of the city.
“I tend to be analytical and well-focused and ask a lot of specific questions,” she said. “When I am clear on the position we should take I am assertive about what I think is in the best interests of the city. However, I am not so dogmatic that if new information develops, I won’t change my mind if it is in the city’s best interest to do so.”
“We should not take action out of dire necessity,” she said. “We should make plans, and allow time for careful review before we implement them.”
Robertson stated she is endorsed by the San Bernardino Sun, Black Voice News, Inland Valley News and Westside Story. She’s also endorsed by mayors, city council members and school board members from throughout the Inland Empire, commissioners on Rialto’s advisory boards and numerous organizations and private citizens.
“Rialto needs Deborah Robertson as mayor. The two-term councilwoman’s smarts, tenacity and commitment to taxpayers are Rialto’s best defense to unstable economic factors that threaten its progress.” San Bernardino Sun editorial, Oct. 8, 2008
“Deborah Robertson is an assertive city councilwoman who espouses vision and an eagerness for the city to move forward on longstanding programs,” Riverside Press-Enterprise article, Oct. 4, 2008
“Who is putting forth the energy and vision to turn the corner to greatness for Rialto? To me, Deborah (Robertson) will bring that energy and the knowledge of state government to turn that corner.” Editorial by Hardy Brown, publisher of Black Voice News, Oct. 9, 2009.
Photo caption: Gwen Knotts, with James Knotts, her husband of 30 years. As the Chief Executive Officer Gwen Knotts she has lead a diverse and dedicated team of child development professionals to provided a safe, loving environment for hundreds of children since 1992.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Sixteen years ago, Gwen Knotts’ heart was breaking. As a public health nurse, she saw many children being neglected. It wasn’t that their parents didn’t love them. They simply did not know how to be good parents.
“Unfortunately, babies don’t come with an owners’ manual,” she said. “Raising children is the most important job people will ever have, but one for which so many are ill-prepared.”
Knotts’ passion for children led her to develop the Knotts’ Family and Parenting Institute in 1992. Since then, by recruiting and training foster parents to care for children who must be removed from unsafe home situations. Knotts has provided a safe, loving environment for hundreds of children.
“All you need to be a foster parent is a heart for children and a house large enough to reasonably accommodate them,” Knotts said. “We provide training, a small amount of compensation and other support for our foster families.”
Knotts Family and Parenting Institute can place foster children with qualified families living in San Bernardino or Riverside counties. To qualify a family, Knotts’ social workers will interview the parents, conduct background checks and visit their homes to make sure they are safe and adequate. Parents are required to attend special training. Once everything is completed, Knotts Family and Parenting Institute will certify them as foster parents.
Once a foster child is placed in the new home, a Knotts social worker will visit them weekly to see that all is going well. Social workers also help the children work through any problems they might be having.
These children come to Knotts through Child Protective Services and other government agencies. The Institute maintains a list of pre-approved foster parents, so it can receive children from CPS and place them in homes on short notice.
About 50 foster families are working with Knotts at any given time. In some areas of the Inland Empire, especially the Low Desert of Riverside County, there is an immediate need for more foster parents, and there is need throughout the two-county region for parents who will accept teenage children.
Knotts also offers training to biological parents. This training helps the foster children return home to their families. “Always the ultimate goal is to return the child home or to a permanent situation,” she explained. “Ideally, that is with the parents, another family member or foster parents are encouraged to adopt.”
Knotts is committed to helping its children find permanent homes. It is currently in the process of applying for an adoption license. Until then, it supports the foster parents as they go through the application process of either county or a private adoption agency.
Since 1992 the Knotts Family and Parenting Institute has provided foster family services for the children, parents and foster parents of Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
For more information, or to become a foster parent, call the Knotts Family and Parenting Institute at (909) 880-0600 or 1-800-9-KIDS-FAST (1-800-954-3732).
Deborah Robertson with Artist Gilbert and Joanne who support Debora Robertson for Mayor of Rialto. Photo by: Carl Dameron —
(RIALTO, Calif.) Mayoral candidate Deborah Robertson will host a fund raiser event 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23 at the ACQUIRE Learning Center, 1188 W. Leiske Dr.
The event is an opportunity for Rialto business and community leaders to meet Robertson. She will address key campaign issues and community concerns.
Robertson has served on the Rialto City Council eight years and has lived in Rialto for 18 years. She’s active in the East Rialto Kiwanis, the National Council of Negro Women, HIV/AIDS awareness and education program Brothers and Sisters in Action and other local organizations.
She is also the Deputy District Director of External Affairs for the California Department of Transportation, Los Angeles and Ventura counties. She has worked for the State of California for the last 20 years, and in her current position oversees a budget of about $4 million, plus is responsible for public, media and government affairs, public records, small business and community outreaches and graphic services.
To RSVP for the event, call Eddie Catoe at (909) 888-0017.
(RIALTO, Calif.) Local economist and business professor Thomas J. Pierce, will discuss strategies to increase sales and profits at the next Inland Empire African-American Chamber of Commerce mixer.
This mixer is set for 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28 at the Acquire Learning Center, 1188 W. Leiske Dr., Rialto.
“Thomas J. Pierce has been tracking our local economy for many years,” said Dolores Armstead, vice president of the Inland Empire African-American Chamber of Commerce. “He sees the strategies used by successful businesses and believes in sharing that knowledge and insight to assist other businesses survive and thrive.”
Pierce is a professor of Economics at California State University, San Bernardino. He has taught economics and other business-related courses at CSUSB since 1976; in addition he has served as dean of CSUSB’s School of Social and Behavioral Issues (of which the economics department is part) and has won an award for outstanding teaching from the Dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Issues.
“Since community education is part of the service we provide at ACQUIRE Learning Center, we are pleased to have Thomas Pierce, an instructor of such high caliber, speak here,” said Suzy Aguillard, who owns the Learning Center with her husband, Craig. “If you own a business you will not want to miss this opportunity to meet and hear him speak.”
ACQUIRE Educational Services is located at 1188 West Leiske Drive in Rialto, 92376. Within its ACQUIRE Learning Center building, it offers tutoring programs for children in kindergarten through 12th grade, and computer courses for adults. Acquire also has a 9,000 square foot ballroom available for rent by interested community groups and private parties.
For more information, call (909) 875-3356 or visit www.Acquire3.net.
