Fund Raising Day in New York 2009
Stephanie Thomas
Dear Colleagues,
Michael Jackson is everywhere I turn these days. It wasn’t until I began humming along to one of his tunes, however, that I realized he deserves a little credit for my career as a fundraiser. When Man in the Mirror was released in the late-1980s, the song’s chorus, “If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change,” seemed like a call to action. I answered that call by joining the not-for-profit sector. Raising money to make sure the hungry are fed, the poor receive proper educational opportunities, children receive health care and so on, continues to be the motivation I need to get up in the mornings.
On Friday, June 12, 2009, it was gratifying to be joined by over 1,500 others committed to doing good work at the 30th annual Fund Raising Day in New York. The feeling throughout the Marriot Marquis was one of camaraderie. We laughed, we listened, we were inspired, we met new friends and old and we learned new skills to help us do our jobs better.
Conference attendee Karen Caruso writes, “This was one of the best Fund Raising Days I’ve ever attended. I was delighted to see so many sessions on Web 2.0 tools, as I’ve been trying to get up to speed on how best to use Twitter, Facebook, etc. for my clients and my own marketing.” Attendee Steve Lieberman writes, “What I love about Fund Raising Day in New York is the endless possibilities of training.” With more than 50 educational sessions, career service assistance and 90 exhibitors, there was something for everyone.Pete Peterson added to the day with a wonderful speech reminding us all how important it is to work together to achieve systemic change. You can hear his remarks at
www.frdny.org.
With another tough year ahead, it is important that we fine tune our best practices and continue to serve as a source of information and inspiration for one another. I look forward to seeing you at the next Fund Raising Day in New York and our other educational programs throughout the year!
Happy summer to my fellow “(wo)men in the mirror.”
Stephanie Thomas is President of Susan Ulin Associates Ltd.
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