Passion for the Performing Arts

CFM Account Executive Suzie Giacomelli started volunteering for Portland Center for the Performing Arts during its 2009-2010 season, and she’s already contributed more than 100 hours of service. Suzie is another great example of CFM’s involvement in the community.

Suzie’s marketing public relations expertise and passion for the arts are perfectly matched in her volunteer and leadership roles at PCPA. A classically trained dancer, Giacomelli began ballet at age three, added tap, jazz, pointe, partnering, modern and hip-hop dance to the mix and included theatre arts in her college studies.

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“God of Carnage”

Arguing over what’s the right thing to do is an everyday occurrence for us.

So it was easy to sponsor the regional premiere of “God of Carnage,” performed in Portland by Artists Repertory Theatre from September 6 - October 9, 2011.

This 2009 Tony winner for Best Play tells the story of two sets of parents who meet to discuss a bullying incident in what they hoped would be a “civilized manner. “ As the evening wears on that intent goes awry, and the play turns ferociously hilarious, shocking and disturbing, as the parents battle for ethical superiority.

“Communications is our business,” says CFM President Gary Conkling. “There is no better form of communication than the theater.”

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Tickling the fancy of piano lovers

Sounded like a good idea to us. That’s why CFM is making an in-kind contribution of its marketing public relations services to help promote Portland Piano International (PPI) and its international festival held July 12-17.

Our goal is to increase PPI’s recital attendance and community awareness. One element of our effort is a video campaign – Piano Love Stories. The first three videos – to be shown during the festival – will feature the artistic director, executive director and a board member. In the next step, Patrons and members of the community will be invited to create and share their own video stories. The videos will be featured on a new blog, on YouTube and PPI's page on Facebook.

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Mentoring Young Minds

Kids matter to CFM and they’ve often been the focus of CFM’s charitable activities. But, what CFM Senior Public Affairs Associate Elizabeth Slater has done is more than write a check. She gave of herself.

Through the Minds Matter program, she just completed three years of mentoring a Portland high school student. With Elizabeth’s help, AnnaJoy Gillis graduated from Franklin High in June and will be heading to Wellesley College on a full-ride scholarship this fall.

“I was looking for a way to volunteer as a mentor, and I liked Minds Matter's focus on academics rather than social issues,” she says. “The Portland chapter of the program was only three years old at the time I joined, so it also was an opportunity to help the nonprofit grow.”

In addition to mentoring, she volunteers as the organization’s director of communications for the organization, handling media relations, graphic design, internal communications and serves as a community ambassador. Her efforts include coordinating events and fundraising.

She also leads a team of five volunteers in the public relations and advertising professions who give their time and skills to promote Minds Matter.

Link: http://mindsmatter.org/

Zoolala and More

We like to dine and dance with the animals.

CFM is a sponsor of Zoolala 2011, the Oregon Zoo’s annual fundraising event for its renowned conservation programs. CFM Partner Dan Jarman also chairs the Oregon Zoo Foundation and has been a member of the board for several years.

“My family loves the Oregon Zoo,” Dan says. “But we also love having the zoo as part of our community so people of all generations can gaze at animals and contribute to their conservation around the world.”

Zoolala details:

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