Marriage Week Plans - 1/03/06

Thu Jan 4 00:19:47 EST 2007

I was copied on an email that went out today to all California Healthy
Marriage Coalition (CHMC) participants and am forwarding it to the list in
hopes it will inspire you to ramp up your plans.  Also, send me info about
what you are planning in your community so that I can post for sharing at:
http://www.smartmarriages.com/marriage.week.html - diane

> Dear Sub-Awardees,
> 
> Many of you are already underway with ideas and plans for Marriage Week--Feb.
> 11-17--and I'm writing to suggest three important resources that may bolster
> your current plans or spur you to action if you haven't yet formulated a plan
> to take advantage of the one week in the year when the media actively support
> our work and are eager to make contact with us to fill their columns and air
> space with human interest stories and resources.
> 
> 1)  The 1000 Signs Project--As mentioned in an earlier email, CHMC will pay
> for the printing of 1000 signs with Healthy Marriages messages along with your
> community's contact information.  We still have openings for 4 more coalitions
> to do this.  All that's needed is for you to get your person-power together to
> spread these throughout your city, get your website populated with classes
> starting late Feb. and March so you can maximize referrals, and let me know
> ASAP if you want in. Meanwhile, keep in mind that 1000 signs scattered around
> your community creates a lot of buzz and this buzz gives you the opportunity
> to be proactive in generating media attention.  The media is always interested
> in something new that's happening, so they'll welcome your contact about the
> Signs Project, and may even contact you themselves, so be prepared to cash in
> on this with someone who can speak well on what your coalition is doing and
> how the public can access more information.  THIS IS YOUR BIGGEST NATURAL
> MEDIA OPPORTUNITY FOR 2007!!!  :-)))
> 
> 2)  Marriage Week Proclamation--Carolyn Curtis and I have developed
> a Proclamation "template" that will be issued by various California
> communities proclaiming Marriage Week (download and adapt it for your use:
> http://www.smartmarriages.com/proclamations.html.)  The value of working to
> have a Marriage Week Proclamation issued by your city is that by contacting
> the powers that be at City Hall and asking them to issue such a proclamation,
> you have a natural rationale for establishing a potentially valuable
> relationship with your city officials.  They will ask you to suggest possible
> wording for such a Proclamation and you can easily adapt the California
> template by inserting the name of your city--and if you submit this via your
> Mayor's staff far enough in advance ( i.e., NOW!!!), you'll be able to get a
> resolution passed in your city for Marriage Week. The information contained in
> this particular resolution is valuable for the powers that be in your city to
> know about, having the Proclamation issued in your city will give an important
> imprimatur to your work and a natural media link for Marriage Week pieces, and
> it also becomes an important addition to your website--a win/win all around.
> Meanwhile you will have established a relationship with city hall, which has
> untold benefits for your work in the future. :-)))
> 
> 3)  Diane Sollee has a rich resource of ideas for Marriage Week on her Smart
> Marriages website (21 pages of ideas used in various communities around the
> country.)  Check this out to enrich your thinking.  www.smartmarriages.com
> <http://www.smartmarriages.com>   Then click on "Marriage Week Celebrations"
> - 6th item down in the far right column or just click on:
> http://www.smartmarriages.com/marriage.week.html
> 
> I hope that all of you will mobilize to take advantage of the natural
> visibility Marriage Week brings to our HM work.  Your entire community will
> benefit from exposure to your work and the work itself will be empowered.
> Carpe diem!!

> Patty Howell, VP of Operations
> California Healthy Marriages Coalition
> Fax:  760-436-3997
> http://www.CaliforniaMarriages.org

Patty Howell and Carolyn Curtis are also asking list subscribers to submit
slogans for the "burma shave" type signs they describe above.  Not really
like the old Burma Shave signs in that there won't be a string of signs in a
row along a highway spelling out a message (man, does this date me!), but,
instead a 1,000 signs on stakes scattered around the city with "marriage
messages" that will intrigue.  4-word limit.

Here are some I came up with, that I'm sharing to prime your pumps:

The Children are Watching

Listen with Love

Love + Skill = Marriage Masterpiece

Find the good. Praise it.

Have a Trophy Marriage

Fall in Love, Again

5 Positives to 1 Negative

Commitment has kind eyes.

My favorite, of course:
Have a Smart Marriage!  ;)

- diane

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