Corporator PR and Marketing Committee Update
New Leadership for Corporator PR and Marketing Committee
Team members are planning for busy spring-summer season
The successful Corporator PR and Marketing Committee has undergone a leadership change. After more than two years of overseeing a productive team, Karen Carper and Patti Foye, co-chairs, have stepped down. Beth Neeley Kubacki is making the transition from serving as co-chair of the Corporator Involvement Committee to chairing PR and Marketing. Ms. Kubacki has been a PR and Marketing team member from Carlisle.
Ms. Carper and Ms. Foy attended their final team meeting on January 31, where discussion quickly turned to the successful real estate summit held in October. “Just for You,” a breakfast gathering that featured healthy eating and meal preparation—a known challenge for busy realtors—was the brainchild of Leslie Thomas, a Westford corporator. It attracted more than 80 attendees, many of whom expressed hope that Emerson would do this again in the future.
“We discussed how similar summits might be held for administrators of area Councils on Aging, nursing homes and assisted living facilities,” says Ms. Carper. It also was suggested that another summit be held for athletic directors, coaches and parents—this time focused on head injuries and concussion. Barbara Southcote, a Concord corporator, helped organize an event on a range of sports injuries, including concussion, in 2010.
With spring and summer not too far away, team members are planning a presence for Emerson at health fairs, farmers markets and town days. Susan Pope noted that Wayland will celebrate its 375th anniversary, which should provide an opportunity to promote Emerson.
Two new team members are developing ideas and plans to promote Emerson within their respective towns. Jennifer Ely Carter of Littleton, in her second year as a corporator, is working on gaining support for screening “Race to Nowhere” for the town’s middle school students. The award-winning documentary focuses on how American students face increasing pressure to achieve. “I’d like to help advance mental health in adolescents,” says Ms. Carter, who has two daughters. “I think kids need coping strategies.” Last year Terese Symula, a Harvard corporator, organized a free public screening of the film in her town.
Ms. Carter, whose professional background includes sales, marketing and event management, also is continuing to make the DVD produced by Emerson’s Pediatric Intervention Team (PIT) available to kindergarten classes at Shaker Lane School in Littleton. The PIT provides for the emotional wellbeing of children when they are in the hospital.
Jennifer Cyrs of Boxborough is a new corporator but no stranger to Emerson. She has been a member of the Emerson Hospital Auxiliary since 2003, providing public relations and marketing support for auxiliary events, including the Emerson 5K Run-Walk for Cancer, and co-chairing the hospital’s Golf Tournament. She intends to apply her background in high-tech marketing to promoting Emerson in Boxborough.
“There’s a town fair called Fifers Day, which is held in June and is geared to children and young families,” says Ms. Cyrs. “At the very least, I hope to have an Emerson information table there. Also coming up are the regular Acton/Boxborough Farmer’s Markets, and we have a health club in town where we might promote Emerson sports medicine and dietetics.”
With new team members bringing energy and ideas, the two co-chairs wrote a final message of thanks to a group that has accomplished much. “We have collectively driven many local programs, cross-town events and even signature events that will pave the way for more activities that serve to get the word out about Emerson,” wrote Ms. Carper and Ms. Foye.
“We will miss working with the wonderful team that has accomplished so much for Emerson Hospital,” they added.