Update on TBABJ plans and needs for UNITY convention next month

Members and friends of the Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists:

We're getting down to the wire in planning our kick off party for the 2009 convention, scheduled july 26 in chicago. We've had a lot of developments in the past week and we've made some plans, so here's what we know:

Currently, we have smooth jazz saxophonist Eric Darius, prizefighter Winky Wright and Busch Gardens' vocal group Men of Note confirmed to appear. The NABJ is also working with a new sponsor to bring several big-name performers to the party; we will release those names when the performers are confirmed.

We are making 100 t-shirts to promote the chapter, with plans to sell them at the kick off party and elsewhere. Any chapter member who volunteers during the convention will get one free shirt (it isn't much, we know, but's its better that what you usually get...)

We have several tasks we will need to complete at the UNITY convention before the party. So if you will be attending UNITY and would like to help the chapter, please send me your contact information -- email, hotel location, cellphone -- so we can contact you in Chicago. We are asking chapter members to meet at 5 p.m. July 23 (Wednesday) at the registration desk of the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and towers. There, we will find a good location to meet and go over the tasks to come that week.

We will need help stuffing the 1,000 goody bags Busch Gardens has provided for the party. Right now, we're planning to meet Saturday afternoon to place items inside. We also need to solicit items from Tampa Bay area business to place inside the bags. If you know of any companies which might provide items to place inside the bags, please let me know, so we can contact them.

We will raffle off a golf outing at Innisbrook Resorts which includes a two night stay at the luxury resort and a round of golf. We won't be charging for the tickets, but winners must be present at the kickoff party to collect the prize. We will need volunteers to help distribute raffle tickets throughout UNITY -- especially during the two big meal events, the hall of fame luncheon and salute to excellence banquet. Please let me know if you're willing to help there.

We have planned a conference call for 6 p.m. July 7 to update everyone on our progress. If you would like to participate, please let me know, and I'll send you the call-in number to be part of the conference. I ask particularly that all TBABJ executive board members try to be on the call.

Let me know if you have any questions about the details I've related here. There will be more details to come in short order.


Eric Deggans
President, Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists
Chair, NABJ Media Monitoring Committee
TV/Media Critic, St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times
http://www.tbabj.com/
(727) 893-8521

Special Membership Meeting at 11 a.m. Saturday June 28

Members and friends of the Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists: We're meeting at 11 a.m. this Saturday -- June 28 -- at a new spot: Papitos Cuban Cafe & Bar in Tampa.

This is a crucial meeting. We have moved the date from its traditional spot, the first Saturday of the month, because the first Saturday in July falls on July 4 weekend, and we really need as much attendance as possible.

We are sponsoring the final party of this year's NABJ convention as part of the larger UNITY gathering, which means we have a lot to accomplish. We have 1,000 goodie bags to fill, we need to pick up entertainers such as Eric Darius and DJ Ekin at the airport and get them to their rooms and the evening's festivities, we need to hand out raffle tickets at the party for a stay at the innisbrook resort and more.

We really need anyone who will be in Chicago and wants to help the local chapter to show for this meeting. It will probably be our last general membership meeting before everyone heads to Chicago for the July 26 party. I'd like to find out who will be in Chicago and who we can count on to help out. So if you can't make Saturday's meeting, please send an email with contact info and when you'll be around so we can get you involved.

Hope to see you there!

Papitos Cuban Cafe & Bar

5305 Ehrlich Road Tampa, FL 33625

(813) 849-7675 phone

Direction from St. Petersburg -- take I-275 into Tampa, take SR-60 W/CYPRESS ST. exit, EXIT 39B towards the Veterans Expressway, take the Veterans Expressway to Ext. 10 (Ehrlich Rd.) head east on Ehrlich Rd. to the address, which should be on the westbound side of the street. you can also take I-275 to Dale Mabry northbound, make a left at Ehrlich Rd. and head west to the restaurant.

Eric Deggans

President, Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists

Chair, NABJ Media Monitoring Committee

TV/Media Critic, St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times

http://www.myspace.com/tbabj

(727) 893-8521

TBABJ Needs Volunteers for Chicago party!

Members and friends of the Tampa Bay Assoc. of Black Journalists:

Many of you know that the TBABJ, a local chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists, will be hosting the national convention next year. As a result, we are responsible for helping to plan and execute the closing night party of this year's convention in Chicago, which also serves as the kickoff party for the 2009 get-together.

We have finalized many elements of the party. But we still need one thing badly: volunteers to help onsite.

We will need people to help stuff items into the 1,000 goody bags we will hand out at the party. We will also need some people to retrieve our entertainers from the airport and get them checked into their hotel rooms and also make sure they arrive at the party for their performances.

We will be handing out tickets to raffle off an outing at innisbrook resorts, so we will need people to do that. We will also need someone to design a flyer we hope to include with each registrant's packet onsite with details for the party.

In short, we need lots of volunteers. so, if you're attending this year's convention and are willing to devote some time to helping us out, please send an email soon, so i can start organizing folks into committees and we can get organized. We only have a few weeks left, and we need your help desperately.

Even if you think I know you're coming to Chicago, please email and let me know what's you'dl ike to work on. Thanks much!

Eric Deggans
President, Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists
Chair, NABJ Media Monitoring Committee
TV/Media Critic, St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times
www.tbabj.com
(727) 893-8521

Membership Meeting at 11 a.m. Saturday in St. Petersburg

We're meeting at 11 a.m. Saturday (June 7) at a different spot: Kizmet cafe in St. Petersburg.

As usual, we have a lot going on. We need to complete plans for the kick off party to the 2009 convention, scheduled for July 26 in Chicago this year. We've got to decide about t-shirts and other merchandising we're putting together for the event.

We've just had a public forum on race, religion and media and are already developing plans for a forum in September or October on voting. And we have Griot Drum Awards coming up in November.

Here's the address: Kizmet 1101 1st Avenue NORTH, Saint Petersburg, FL 33705 (727) 821-1078.

Hoep to see you there!

Eric Deggans
President, Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists
Chair, NABJ Media Monitoring Committee
TV/Media Critic, St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times
http://www.tbabj.com/
(727) 893-8521