Say you’re the best, most worthy nonprofit in the world, but not enough people know about you and your mission. Now what?
Longtime public relations maven Mona Wood-Sword, owner of Honolulu-based IKAIKA Communications, will tell you what’s next.
"I often get asked to help out and provide pro bono PR services to nonprofits and other kinds of organizations, but I just can’t handle all the requests," she said.
One reason is because she is a solo practitioner, a one-woman shop, though she handles public relations for some very high-profile clients in the Hawaii business world. Wood-Sword has worked in public relations and marketing for more than 20 years and has run her own operation since 1998.
IKAIKA Communications represents companies in almost every industry including food and beverage, entertainment, travel and tourism, real estate and development, health and wellness, media, financial, architecture, and other fields.
Despite her crazy-busy schedule, she still wanted to help, so "several years ago I decided to offer free PR workshops once or twice per year just for these kinds of groups," said Wood-Sword. "It’s my way of giving back and helping as many organizations as I can by empowering them with some basic PR skills and tools."
The workshop is designed for people without a background in public relations, so she starts with the basics such as the purpose of public relations, and how to write news releases.
"Because this workshop is specifically for nonprofit organizations, the focus is on press releases and media relations for fundraisers, community events, and other similar announcements," she said.
Then you have to know where to send your material. Wood-Sword will go over that as well.
Registration for the free workshop is limited to 30 attendees from nonprofits, one person per organization, due to the limited space. Also, proof of affiliation with the nonprofit will be required. Preference will be given to registered nonprofits, but other community groups, such as churches, sports teams, and hula halau also may apply, Wood-Sword said.
Attendees will need to bring their own computer or pad and pen for taking notes, and handouts will be provided.
The workshop will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Aug. 31 in the offices of Dr. Hugo Higa, one of Wood-Sword’s clients. The offices are in the Pan Am building, at 1600 Kapiolani Blvd. Parking is not validated, so street parking is recommended.
Interested nonprofits must register via email at ikaikacommpr@gmail.com by Aug. 25.
KAIA FIT MOVING
Hawaii’s first Kaia Fit franchise is among the myriad businesses that must migrate out of Kakaako to make way for redevelopment.
Franchisee Amanda Delsohn has been running her twice-a-morning Kaia Fit classes out of the Ka Ulu Koa Academy gymnasium on Auahi Street for slightly more than a year, having marked their first anniversary June 17.
But, given notice that they needed to relocate, she and her husband started trying to find a new spot on their own. They did not have success, she said.
During online research, they found and contacted Hawaii Commercial Real Estate associates Josh Arango and Eric Aakhus.
"They found places I couldn’t find," Delsohn said.
Kaia Fit’s last day at the gym will be Thursday, and new space, at 1151 B 12th Ave. on the second floor, will host its first sessions on Sept. 2.
At the gym, Delsohn could only offer sessions at 5 and 6 a.m., but the new space will allow her to have pau-hana sessions as well, at 5 and 6 p.m.
The sessions are for women only and do not involve "super-heavy weights," she said. The focus is on "body weight movement" supplemented with kettle bells, jump ropes and resistance bands.
Class members range from marathon runners to people who are trying to regain fitness after an illness, or "some people who have never worked out," and "we all do the same thing, but at our own level."
The women "are super-encouraging and never compete with one another," Delsohn said.
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ON THE NET:
» www.kaiafitoahu.com
Reach Erika Engle at 529-4303, erika@staradvertiser.com or on Twitter as @erikaengle.
