President Carole J. Greene
Those Press Club of Southwest Florida members who aren’t in town at this time of year may think all press club action in the summer could be represented by the sound of crickets chirping. Not so! It is true we do not schedule monthly luncheons from June through September. But we do gather at networking after-hours mixers one evening in each of those months. These have introduced us to happy-hour drink prices and free appetizers at various restaurants, some new, some longtime favorites. Most restaurants also offer a discount to anyone who stays for dinner. You should stick around next year and enjoy these mixers with us.
It is also true that your board has not met since our planning retreat in early June. But that doesn’t mean we have done nothing. Phil Jason and others on the board have worked hard to put together an event to raise a nice piece of change for our scholarship program. This Celebrity Author Luncheon is set at the Hilton—our usual meeting venue—for October 15. We know that’s early for some of our members to be back in residence, but that was the date our celebrity author’s schedule could accommodate us. He is award-winning journalist at the St. Petersburg Times Jeff Klinkenberg, about whom the author Carl Hiaasen said: “If Jeff Klinkenberg isn’t careful, he might give journalism a good name.” Look elsewhere in SCOOP for complete details, including a ticket-order form. If you’re here then, put it on your calendar and alert your friends. We need a turnout of at least 100 people, and I’m counting on you to make that happen. Please. Yes, I’m pleading with you! It’s for our Scholarship Fund!
Our next Board of Governors meeting is September 18; if anyone has an idea or an issue we should discuss, let me know right away so I can include it in our agenda. Look for another article in this issue of SCOOP about our luncheon programs for the upcoming season. I think you’ll be impressed and won’t want to miss a single one.
I’ll look for you October 15 for our special event and again on the 24th for our first fall luncheon, when our guest speaker will be Kathleen van Bergen, CEO of Artis—Naples or The Phil, if you prefer. Should be fascinating!