Email Blogging Test

Testing at 2:52 again to see if the google groups email is working.

INVITATION TO INTERNATIONAL WOMAN'S DAY

Festa della Donna
Italian for “Women’s Celebration”

March 5, 2009 at 7:00 PM

You are cordially invited to celebrate International Woman's Day with us!!

On this Day, women all over Europe get together and celebrate,
sharing stories, eating, drinking, and being merry together!
Join us and find out what this is all about. You are welcome to invite friends too.

Dinner at Enzo and Lucia Ristorante
343 Old McHenry Road
Historic Downtown Long Grove
http://www.longgroveonline.com/merch-pages/enzo-lucia/enzo-lucia.html

Menu
Bruschetta
Insalata di arucola e formaggio di capra
Farfalle alla Donna
Tiramisu (the best around!)
Coffee or Soda
Cash Bar

Dinner will be followed by a Fabulous Fashion Show offered by

Inca’s Boutique in Long Grove
www.incancreations.com

Touch of Elegance Boutique in Deer Park
www.touchofelegancefashion.com

Ticket price: $35.00 (including tax and gratuity)
$5.00 of each ticket will be donated to The Enterprising Kitchen*

Please send your check made out to Enzo & Lucia’s to either one of us.
We do this just for fun and need to pay for all reserved lunches! Thanks!
. Anna Palmisano Berman: 21680 Cambridge Drive, Kildeer, IL 60047 847-456-7880
Ellen Schnur: 46 Old Lake Road, Hawthorn Woods, IL 60047 847-550-6519

*The Enterprising Kitchen (TEK), a nonprofit social enterprise, provides workforce development and support services to women who are working toward self-sufficiency and economic independence. Founded in 1996 and located in Chicago, TEK enables lower-income women who have been unemployed and underemployed to maximize their individual potential and move into sustainable employment after 6-12 months. http://www.theenterprisingkitchen.org/aboutus.html

Is your child America's Cutest Kid?

Kidz *N Kaboodles, Inc. is participating in the National Charity Model Search to select “America’s Cutest Kid” and to raise funds for charity.

We’re looking for cute children ages 18 months to 14 years old to model for a portrait to be entered into the contest.

Models Search Special:
$35 entrance fee, which includes a 30 minute model session and one image submitted to the national gallery.

Finalists will be determined by online votes. Anyone may vote. Each vote is $1, and all proceeds from votes benefit the non-profit Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep. (NILMDTS.org) Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (NILMDTD), is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization committed to assisting parents and families going through a difficult time when they experience an early infant loss. NILMDTS connects families with photographers and provides them with a DVD and a reproducible CD of the images of their baby at no cost to the family. For further information on NILMDTS, visit their website at www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org.

Grand prize national winner will be determined from the 50 city finalists. Winners selected by photography and modeling industry experts.

If your child is selected the national winner, you’ll receive many prizes, including a $5,000 US Savings Bond and a Canon PowerShot G10 digital camera.

If you’re interested in entering your child(ren), please call the studio at ***-***-****. For more information about the contest, go online to www.sandypucmodels.com.

No Plans on Sunday Afternoon-Join Us!

Roots of American Music
Professional Musician, Ray Kamalay will present an interactive slide lecture along with music that traces the development of early American music from slavery to the early jazz age. Join us for this very unique program. 2-3pm Sunday, Feb. 15. Ela Area Public Library. Please register -http://www.eapl.org

A real treasure in Lake Zurich

On page 10, of this week's Courier, a very nice article about Ela Library.

WIN meeting minutes 1/28/09

Hi all,
Here's the last meeting minutes. If you have any changes, just let me know. thanks, see you soon on the blog!

1.28.09 WIN meeting – Alpine Chapel
In attendance:Pam Ventrone, Sheila Glazov, Mary Rose Hoover, Jackie de Boer, Denise Schirmann, Mary Ann Ryan, Denise Sepos, Suzanne Branding, Jill Looff, Jodie Kien, Kathy Nelson, Pat Muir, Muffi Painter, Arlene Fields, Chris Geimer, Lisa LaManna, Inna Dolnick, Terri Meyer, Rae Lautenschlager, Anna Berman, Maggie Wilkins, Lynn O’Brien, Rose de Paola, Randy Heidenfelder, Jane Fidler, Kate Zwiefelhofer, Sue Schulte, Nancy Camacho
Guests: Laura Cavanagh (Suburban Woman newspaper), Kathleen Muncer (EDW Services –bookkeeping), Avis Bonnett (Woodfield Planning Corp – mortgage specialist)

8:30am Meeting begun
President Arlene Fields:
“Duos” – recapped the new idea of introductions – talk about the person you contacted since last meeting, speak as them for 30 sec.

You should have signed up for blogging seminar – original sign-up sheet misplaced, please see Arlene to confirm list.

LZACC EXPO on Mar 14: committee will work on prep and planning. Chris Geimer (chair) will be emailing committee members for initial info and feedback.

Congrats to Lynn O’Brien on receiving Director’s Award at the Chamber Evening of Excellence.
Congrats to Suzanne Branding for becoming Lake Zurich mayoral candidate in April election.

Introductions

Group photo (Thanks to MaryAnn Ryan of Kidz’n Kaboodles for photography)

Speakers: Rae Lautenschlager – Willow Estate Sales
Pat Muir – Nationwide Insurance
Anna Berman – Trilogy School of Performing Arts
Arlene Fields – Baird & Warner

Next WIN meeting Feb 11 - No regular meeting at Alpine Chapel.
This will be the second Blogging Seminar session at Ela Area Public Library 8:30-10:00am

Meeting adjourned 9:45am

Center Stage Web Designs: Markting Tips for 2009

Blogging:

• One of the best ways to offer and get information to help your business.
• A blog offers an additional way to forge relationships and to become a expert in
  your field.
• Quick and free way to get the word out on promotions, new services advertisements, coupons…

How do I find one: Visit blog networks like:
Define and search for your marketing base, who our my customers/prospects. Mom Entrepreneurs

• Blogcatalog.com (My personal favorite)
• Technorati.com
• Blogsearch.google.com

Every topic you can imagine is available, for Example: http://www.meetup.com/Moms-Who-Want-a-creative-Outlet/messages/boards/thread/5781484

Pick a blog - offer useful information pertaining to your business and become the expert. Once you get started in an established blog, you can reach so many more people and faster.
Too much time, not so: Set a Timer and stick to it.

Purchase multiple Domain Names :

• Bought on a yearly basis and is only $35 for 1 year.
• Use words that a prospect may use to seek you out.
• Different words than your company name.
• Gives you more than one way to enter into your website

Micro-sites:

• Taking the new domain one step further.
• Create a separate webpage that is an abbreviated newsletter that you may already send out.
• Change this webpage often and make it filled with words that people may search on

Online Social Networking:

1. Facebook.com
2. LinkedIn.com
3. Plaxo.com
4. Xing.com
5. Hoovers.com

• Great way to network and get to know other people who need your services.
• Opens you up to prospects that are outside your community.
• Start with one and get involved.
• Local, national, and global advantages
• Offers links back to your website/blog/forums …