Montgomery Advertiser : : Business

Darrell Summerlin stands outside the Community Care Network's van, which he operates, on Thursday. LWT Communications designed the art on the van as part of its annual CreateAThon charity event in 2003. Applications are being accepted for this year's event.

-- Julie Bennett Advertiser

It's the most rewarding kind of volunteer work: When LWT Communications spends 24 hours doing free marketing work for nonprofit groups, staff members feel like they're getting the best part of the deal.

The 27 people who work for LWT Communications and LWT/KBK New Media design advertising and marketing materials for nonprofit organizations in the Montgomery area as part of a national advertising volunteer effort called CreateAThon.

They approach it like college students preparing for finals. Everyone shows up for an around-the-clock session, stretching their creative muscles to develop ad campaigns, brochures, Web sites, radio scripts, postcards and related materials.

"We stay up for 24 hours," said Cindy Scott, who works in business development for LWT. "That means lots of Diet Coke, coffee and chocolate."

It's an intensely creative burst of work.

HOW TO APPLY

Nonprofit groups may apply to receive free marketing assistance from LWT Communications and LWT/KBK New Media. Deadline for entries is July 16. The third annual CreateAThon will be from noon Sept. 30 to noon Oct. 1. Applications are available at www.lwtcom.com, or call (334) 244-9933.

"There's something that happens in the middle of the night that doesn't happen during an 8-to-5 workday," Scott said. "That's when the magic happens."

Last year, LWT did projects with a total market value of $50,000 during the CreateAThon.

The entire staff of LWT Communications and LWT/KBK New Media participates.

"Everybody has chosen to participate every year," Scott said. "It's not mandatory, and it's not compensated. It has just been a labor of love for us."

The CreateAThon was created by a South Carolina advertising agency in 1999. LWT joined the effort in 2001.

With the state of Alabama facing budget shortfalls, state funding for nonprofit organizations has been slashed.

"It seems like there's such a need for marketing for nonprofits," said Mary Catherine Phillips, an LWT account coordinator.

James Waid, executive director of Montgomery AIDS Outreach, is grateful for the brochures that were designed during the first CreateAThon.

"The brochures have been very successful," he said. "They've helped us reach a lot of people and helped us get very reliable information out to the community."

Jannah Bailey, executive director of Child Protect, said, "We had received such huge funding cuts, and it's hard enough getting money to do your program, but no nonprofit has money for professionally made brochures."

Her agency, which helps investigate child sexual abuse cases, received well-designed materials that tell the organization's story.

"It was something we never could have done, ever," Bailey said. "We were thrilled that we were selected last year."

Organizations must submit applications by July 16.

The project attracts support from related companies. Last year, the companies that helped LWT with time and money were Skinner Printing, Davis Printing, Walker Printing, Colorcraft, Robert Fouts Photography and MAC Paper.

"We get as much -- if not more -- out of this than the nonprofits," Scott said. "The camaraderie and the teamwork make it fun."