April Featured Non-Profit: Friends of Literacy

Each month, AAF-Knoxville features a local non-profit organization as part of its lunch meetings. For April, we're delighted to welcome Melissa Nance, Executive Director for Friends of Literacy.

Since 1991 Friends of Literacy has been the voice of the illiterate.

Friends of Literacy is:

• Private (not government operated)
• Independent (not part of a school system)
• Not-for-Profit
• Local (Serving only Knox County)
• Governed by a volunteer board of local corporate and community leaders
• Is supported by members (individual and corporate donations)
• Supported by local, regional, state, and national foundations and granting agencies

We support programs that offer year-round daytime and evening adult education classes.

Our Goal: To provide funding and volunteers that support basic education and life-skill training to adult students, helping them to become better workers, parents, and citizens.

What is Literacy? "Literacy means an individual's ability to read, write, and speak English, and to compute and solve problems at levels of proficiency necessary to function on the job and in society, to achieve one's goals and develop one's knowledge and potential." - National Literacy Act 1991

Benefits of Literacy:

• Better job opportunities, increased earnings
• Educational advancement
• Decreases intergenerational cycle of poverty
• Raises workforce effectiveness
• Increases civic participation

To learn more, visit www.friendsofliteracy.org.

March Featured Non-Profit: Laurel High School

AAF-Knoxville has begun a program whereby we invited area non-profit organizations to our lunch meetings for a brief presentation on their services and efforts. For March, we're featuring Laurel High School.

Since 1971, Laurel High School has offered an option for students with curiosity, energy, and independence of spirit. Students are prepared to make sound decisions after graduation because they have had ample opportunity to make decisions while at Laurel. They help shape school policies, pursue their individual interests, and help determine their own class schedules.

Students come to Laurel for a variety of reasons:

• what they want is not available in other schools.
• they desire more stimulating classes.
• they want more input in determining their own classes .
• they appreciate the increased opportunities and attention that are made possible by small classes in a small school.
• their experience includes life lessons as well as academic studies.
• a student can make mistakes in a supportive environment.
• individuals are valued even when painful mistakes are made.
• the consequences of their actions at Laurel are natural rather than arbitrary.
• rules are limited to only those necessary for a framework within which the school must operate or to those basic to the school’s fundamental philosophy.
• the faculty, staff and Board of Directors share Laurel’s philosophy and are committed to the school and its students.

To learn more, visit www.laurelhighschool.org.

Knoxville ADDY® Awards Article

Congrats again to all of the 45th Annual Knoxville ADDY® Awards winners. We got some nice ink (and pixels) today in the Knoxville News Sentinel. Click here to view it.

ADDY® Awards Recap

Follow this link to check out a nice recap of the past weekend's AAF-Knoxville ADDY® Awards: http://aafknoxville.com/addys.

You'll also find downloads that display all winners and "Best of Shows", including this year's President's Award, Silver Medal recipient and our Hall of Fame inductees.

What's Everyone Wearing to the ADDYs?

The ADDYs are a celebration in creativity--both in communications work and costume. And the ADDYs gala this Saturday night will feature the best of both.

NOTE: A few tickets are still available. Get details at www.aafknoxville.com/addys.

What will people be wearing? Here are a few rumors so far:

• One major agency promises a "white-out," and even suggests that they might have a sponsor in Chlorox bleach.
  
  
• Another innovative individual says her dress has "pockets." To hold all her awards? Or to steal food? Time will tell.
  
  
• Someone else says that patent leather ties are not dead.
  
  
• Another thinks that Don Draper will seem a little shabby in comparison.
  
  
• And still someone else predicts that at least one person there will be wearing bowling shoes.

It's all less that 48 hours away now.

ADDYs Reservations Due Today

If you haven't already made your reservations for this Saturday's ADDYs gala (the biggest celebration of creative work in East Tennessee, and arguably its best party), you need to do so today.

Just follow this link to the ADDYs page, and join the fun. You really don't want to miss this year's event.

ADDYs Highlight: Robert McCabe Silver Medal

The ADDYs recognize excellence in many ways. One highlight each year is the naming of the winner of the Robert MeCabe Silver Medal.

The Robert McCabe Silver Medal is a national AAF honor given to the person who has shown

excellence and creativity in advertising for his or her company, community, and the industry as a

whole. The winner is selected from a group of nominees that has been reviewed and evaluated by past presidents of AAF-Knoxville. Over the years, the winners have represented many of the most respected people ever to serve in the communications profession in East Tennessee.

Who will 2010's winner be? Come to the ADDYs on February 20 and see. (INSIDER's NOTE: You'll definitely agree with the selection.)

Make your reservation for the ADDYs here.

Past Winners of the Robert McCabe Silver Medal:

1965: Charlie Haun, Cummings Outdoor

1966: Charlie Davis, Davis Newman Payne

1967: Roger Daley, Knoxville News Sentinel

1972: Neal Branch, WBIR-TV10

1974: Sam Newman, Davis Newman Payne

1976: Janet Dawson, WATE-TV6

1977: Gil Champagne, Knoxville News Sentinel

1978: Kenneth Hodge, Hodge Printing

1979: Richard Joel, University of Tennessee

1980: Liz Tombras, WBIR-TV10

1981: John Payne, Davis Newman Payne

1982: Bobby Denton, WIVK

1983: Bud Brooks, Ford Brooks Agency

1984: Jim Dick, Dick Broadcasting

1985: Charles Tombras Sr., The Tombras Group

1986: Jim Hart, WBIR-TV10

1987: Don McNeil, Tennessee Press Assoc.

1988: Lynn Leopper, WBIR-TV10

1989: Marvin Jack Kress, Kress Agency

1990: Ty McCloud, WATE-TV6

1991: Dick Meshendorf, Home Federal Bank

1992: Pat Wilson, WATE-TV6

1993: Ross Bagwell, Sr., Bagwell Productions

1994: Steve Dean, WBIR-TV10

1995: Dorothy Smith, Smith Marketing

1996: Jim Earley, Earley & Assoc.

1997: Shelba Murphy, Knoxville News Sentinel

1998: Charles Tombras Jr., The Tombras Group

1999: Tom Rowland, Rowland Productions

2000: Ann Staup, Direct Mail Services

2001: Chris Wise, Lancaster Consulting Group

2002: Ann Proud, Media Directions

2003: Ed Brantley, Citadel Broadcasting

2004: Curtis Parham, CP Productions

2005: Sam Littleton, WBIR-TV

2006: Terry Gillingham, South Central Communications

2007: Buddy McLean, Davis Newman Payne

2008: Carolyn Morton, Lamar Advertising

2009: Lisa Duncan, Dogwood Arts Festival