Business

September 19, 2009

Getting creative to attract business

Group at Create-A-Thon designs company brochures, Web sites, logos and billboards.

By Andrew M. Seder aseder@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
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PITTSTON TWP. – New roof, new logo. It was a good week for the Hoyt Library.

When a Valentine’s Day ice storm in 2006 caused a portion of the library’s roof to cave in, the greater Kingston community came together in tough economic times to raise more than $400,000 to help pay for repairs. The remodeled library fully reopened this week and the architecture appears in a new logo designed for free by local public relations and marketing professionals.

“We expected great work but this is beyond our expectations really,” said Chris McLaughlin, president of the library’s board. “It’s incredible they could do this in 24 hours. In such a short amount of time to really capture who we are. It’s really amazing to me.”

The woman behind the project, cds Creative owner Catherine D. Shafer, has been doing this for eight years. For one day, she and fellow marketing, public relations and web design professionals assist nonprofits with requests for brochures, Web site redesigns or creations, logos, newsletters and billboard ideas.

Each year the number of requests gets larger, but the number of local professionals who volunteer also grows. Sixty-two applications were received for consideration this summer. Fifteen were chosen for the event titled Create-A-Thon.

A team of 21 volunteers, representing 11 local companies, and a couple who once worked here but now live out of state, spent all day and night Thursday and into Friday morning collaborating and brainstorming. They revealed their designs to eager nonprofit agency officials at 9 a.m. Friday at the Junior Achievement Center of NEPA on Oak Street in Pittston Township.

In total, Shafer said at least $100,000 worth of free work was produced by the volunteers. It was greatly appreciated by the recipients, which included The ARC of Luzerne County, Catholic Social Services, the West Pittston Library and the Music Box Players of Swoyersville.

Fallen Officers Remembered, a non-profit founded by sisters Gina Pocceschi Boyle, of Sweet Valley, and Jaclyn Pocceschi Mosley, of Wilkes-Barre, had their Web site redesigned and they’ve been given access to change and add content as they wish. The cost, had they had it done professionally, would have been about $5,000, Shafer said.

Boyle and Mosley founded the organization after their brother, Officer Rodney Pocceschi, was shot in the line of duty in Virginia on June 23, 2003. He died hours later. They raise funds to purchase bulletproof vests for area police officers and to offer scholarships.

The money they saved by not having to pay for the Web site work is about the cost of a new vest. Their site was designed by King’s College graduate Flinn Mueller, who used to work at Pepperjam but left the area to work at a firm in Connecticut. He made the trek back for the event.

“It makes you really appreciate what other people do for you,” said Mosley.

And that’s part of why Shafer and the other volunteers offer their services for the Create-A-Thon.

“This was just a great way to take 24 hours and do nothing but help people that dedicate their time to helping others,” Shafer said.

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