montgomeryadvertiser.com

For most community groups, getting the word out about their good works means spending money that they don't have.

In Montgomery, there are professionals who are willing to step in, offering free marketing and public relations services to organizations that can use a hand.

This year, for example, people in the Montgomery area are likely to learn more about the Girl Scouts' mission -- which includes developing values and improving society through activities that don't necessarily involve selling cookies.

"We're trying to let everyone in the community know that we are more than cookies and camping," said Kristi Lashley, communications manager for the Girls Scouts of South Central Alabama. "We provide a lot more services to girls, and they are involved in a lot of activities."

Lashley said it's tough for a nonprofit group to pay for professional marketing services.

"In this time of cramped funding, we are very excited to be on the receiving end of something like this," she said. "We are very excited to see what they come up with. They've done great work in the past."

The Girl Scouts are among 10 nonprofit organizations that will benefit from advertising and marketing services provided by LWT Communications and its sister company, LWT/KBK New Media, in the fourth annual CreateAThon, a 24-hour burst of creative work for the community.

The event will begin Sept. 15.

Thirty organizations applied for the marketing help. LWT Communications chose the winners based on each group's mission and how the type of work requested best fits with the firm's expertise.

"A wide range of services will be performed for the organizations during this 24-hour period," said agency partner Jim Leonard. "Projects range from Web development to logo design to strategic marketing planning to brochure development. It will be worth the lost revenue and sleep to provide these services to area organizations who normally couldn't afford them."

The project involves other businesses, with donations from printers, paper suppliers, photographers and production companies.

Another venue for community groups needing communications help is through the Mongtomery chapter of the Public Relations Council of Alabama.

Members of the group donate their services for many nonprofit groups.

In the past year, the chapter's work has included: A creative campaign for Alzheimer's of South Central Alabama; a branding and media campaign for the Zero2Five initiative of the Alabama Partnership for Children; strategic communications planning for the Alabama Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy; news releases for the Governor's Black Belt Action Commission; and billboards for the Montgomery Bicycle Club's "Share the Road," campaign.

"It would have been very difficult, if not impossible, to pay for the work they did for us," said Gail Pigott, executive director for the Alabama Partnership for Children, which received strategic planning for public relations.

Melanie Beasley, publicity chair of the Montgomery chapter, said: "Our goal is to not only promote public relations, possibly one of the most misunderstood of all professions, but to assist others in their PR needs. In addition to fostering relationships and the exchange of ideas among PR practitioners in our area, and promoting the profession and a high standard of conduct by our members, we also disseminate information of value to the public."