Committee Minutes
Communication

Liam reported that the Website is being revised and will be maintained. The domain name registration has been paid for for 10 years.

The public relations profile should have been more, better, and earlier. National media coverage would have been very helpful in getting the word out to more participants. This is an area were Scouts Canada could have been helpful. If the committee had received a Trillium grant earlier, early media buys would have been possible. Scouts Canada provided little in the way of information for media kits, etc.

The web site domain will be renewed for 10 years. The web site will remain as a record of the Jamboree and to provide visitor information for the monument.

A print ad for the event will run on Saturday, September 10 in the St. Catharines Standards, Niagara Falls Review, and Welland Tribune.

Lou said that it is a good idea to maintain the relationships developed with the media. It is easier to maintain these relationships then to build them from scratch.

Niagara News printed an interview with Tony. Bill C. is working with Cogeco TV.

Liam has been in touch with Susan Mackie, Scouts Canada's staff Director of Communications, regarding the press kit. Liam, George, and Lou will complete the kit.

Lou indicated that press badges should be sent to the city editors prior to the event and that other badges should be on hand at the event. Lou said that a phone number should be sent to the media outlets so that they can get their questions answered.

Tony offered to write an article for the Leader magazine about the event.

There have been several newspaper articles published about the Jamboree celebration. There have been articles about the Japanese visitors, the Floral Clock, and an interview with Tony. Eddie Chau of Niagara this Week has interviewed Tony and will interview Bill C. A story is also anticipated in the St. Catharines Standard.

Stephen Murdoch of OEB International put out a press release about the event.

Bill C. has been in touch with Darryl Day of Cogeco TV. They will do a story featuring current interviews and clips from the WJ'55 film. This will air in early September.

Lou suggested opening a media office in Niagara Falls BP House. This could be staffed by a volunteer, perhaps from the Niagara College Journalism School, who would answer questions over the phone.

There will be an on-site media desk at the unveiling. Ted has arranged for the Central Escarpment Council's display to form the backdrop for this. The committee hopes to put the media desk near the entrance to Fort George and will clear the location with Ron Dale.

Liam and George R. will put together a media kit. It will include a copy of the program, background information about Scouting, a CJ'07 brochure, and a copy of the DVD.

The budget includes money for advertising.

Bill C. has been in contact with Cogeco TV about showing the WJ'55 film. Cogeco would like a reminder in late August.

Al, Willard, and Tony will work on contacting local WJ'55 participants.

Lou advised the development of a media plan including weekly stories starting in mid-August. CJRN Radio in Niagara Falls and CKTB Radio in St. Catharines both have community event listings that could be used. The committee should not overlook the Buffalo newspapers. There will need to be an on-site media desk where members of the media can get background information and ask questions. As well, there will need to be a media contact in the week leading up to the event to handle questions.

Earlier in the day, members of the committee met with a representative of the St. Catharines Standards to inform them of the event. OEB International has created a media alert. The plan is to send it late July. It was suggested that the Jamboree film could be shown on Cogeco TV, the local cable channel. Bill C. will contact them. Ted is working on getting CBC coverage of the event.

Tony will write an article for the Leader magazine about the event and partnerships such as the Floral Clock. The article is due mid-May for the August-September issue.

Lou has visited Penny Coles of the Niagara Advance. They are interested. Lou will arrange meetings with various other local newspapers for June 13.

Lou suggested collecting newspaper clippings and making a booklet. Politicians like to see that events they are connected with receive favourable coverage. Lou also suggested that there be a media table at the unveiling of the plaque. The table should be staffed and have a press kit with information and backgrounders on various aspects of the event.

Tony reported that the London Free Press has requested a 200 word piece to be published soon with a photo of the London contingent to WJ'55.

Ted will arrange a delegation to Niagara-on-the-Lake City Council, hopefully for Monday, June 13.

The Niagara Advance would like an article for an issue in May. The Niagara Parks Commission has many great photos of the Jamboree that could be used.

Bill C. is working with Lou Cahill of OEB International on a media release. Lou will broker a meeting with the managing editors of the St. Catharines Standard and the Niagara Falls Review. Bill C., Tony, and George will go. Lou said that it is important to build and maintain relationships with the media outlets. Every Canadian Press affiliate sends all their stories to the Canadian Press, which decides what stories will go on the national news wire.

Bill C.'s contacts Northern Ireland have found the article he wrote in 1955 when he returned from the Jamboree.

Generating interest in the event may attract the attention of TV, such as the local Cogeco TV or a day-of broadcast by a show like Canada AM.

Ted will find out what the article deadline is for upcoming issues of The Leader magazine.

Jennifer Austin, PR staff for Scouts Canada, has suggested that the story is best started locally. National news will pick it up from there. This interest can be generated by spreading the backgrounder and a series of articles about the event, etc. Jennifer Austin can work on a cost-recovering basis from $30/hour. Bill will work on getting a media alert sent.

Penny Coles of the Niagara Advance is happy to take human interest stories and would like photographs. The paper has a special rate for advertisements from non-profit associations.

Liam reported that about 80 people have indicated their interest in the event via the web site. [A count after the meeting found that the number at the time of the meeting was 120.]

Bill C. and George will see if they can arrange for a notice of the event in the Niagara Region's tourist information publication.

Bill L. will arrange for a post office box in Niagara-on-the-Lake for the commemoration and will check it.

It was observed that the committee needs a person to work publicity contacts to build momentum for the event. Scouts Canada may have access to various media contacts through their Jennifer Austin, their public relations staff member.

Bill C. emphasized the importance of recognizing individuals and organizations that assist in making the event a success.

Ted will contact local service clubs to see if they would be interested in funding a few print advertisements in the Leader magazine.

George and Doug will work with Bill C. on writing some vignettes about the experiences of WJ'55 attendees for use on the web site and in print publicity.

Lou Cahill of OEB International shared his extensive knowledge of public relations. Lou suggests writing a 250-300 word article about the event and sending it to local daily and weekly newspapers. Local organizations such as Parks Canada, Niagara Parks Commission, the Chamber of Commerce, and local Scouting should be informed about what is happening. Sending information to the national media will start to build interest. It is important to find the right person to send the information to. A newspaper might be interested in making a Saturday feature using photos from the event. Lou suggested that we find out about parents who are attending the Scout Brigade of Fort George. They may be interested in the event.

George suggested contacting the both the provincial and federal heritage ministers. Other contacts include the Honourable Jim Bradley, MPP for St. Catharines and Minister of Tourism and Recreation; Walt Lestewka, MP for St. Catharines; and John Maloney, MP for Erie-Lincoln.

Bill noted that the 50th Anniversary is a unusual opportunity for Scouts Canada to market itself. The event can be used to generate general interest in Scouting. It can help to get across the message that Scouting is far more than just fun. The skills and values ones learns in Scouting last a lifetime. The challenge is to get people to see the event as more than just a reunion for attendees, but truly a celebration of Scouting for everyone.

Ted will follow up with Tyler Arrell and Ross Francis regarding getting the work out internationally. The Boy Scouts of America had the largest contingent next to Canada's. Their National Eagle Scout Association may be able to assist in locating WJ'55 attendees. Brochures about the event could be distributed through Kandersteg International Scout Centre, which hosts 10,000 Scouts from around the world each year.

Bill C. reported on a meeting held with John Armstrong and Lou Cahill of OEB International, a public relations firm that worked on WJ'55. They are interested in assisting with marketing the event. They suggested using the celebration to renew interest in Scouting in general across Canada. John sent his regrets that he was called away at the last minute and unable to attend the present meeting.

It is important that the committee soon publish a position paper of two to three pages describing who we are and what we are trying to accomplish. John has offered to review the copy. The position paper serves as the basis for getting the message out about the celebration. George and Tony will work together to get this written by the end of October.

Tony is following up with the Scouts On Stamps Society International. He will discuss with them creating a souvenir stamp cover and cancellation. Ted will contact Murray Fried regarding spreading the word among the Badger's Club.

Liam announced that the web site at wj55.org is operational. It provides some basic information and access to the WJ'55 Committee minutes.

The next task is to publicize the event. Building the contact list will be a task, this is where the work will be. The committee has had one contact already from the United Kingdom and one from the United States.