ADDY Vision

I’ve been so busy I barely noticed two the special birthdays coming up this week. February 19^th is my brother’s birthday. John would have turned 43 years old. Moments like this I still can’t believe he’s gone. On the 21^st my daughter, Mia, will turn six. I can believe how fast she’s growing up, but I don’t have to like it.

It’s not just birthdays we’re celebrating this week. Months of hard work will finally come to a grand conclusion at the AAF-Suncoast ADDY Awards Gala on Thursday night at Maria Selby Botanical Gardens. The event, scheduled from 6-10pm, starts with an open bar reception and heavy hors d'oeuvres followed by the student awards presentation, a brief intermission, and the professional awards presentation.

An incredible amount of work has transpired over the last few months. A few weeks ago I mentioned Louie Zuniga, the Ringling student volunteer who did a fantastic job designing the logo and collateral materials for the awards. I also wrote about Deborah Carr, who not only coordinated the entries, but also facilitated the judging, helped hang the gallery, shoot the video, etc.

This week I’m obliged to acknowledge the amazing contributions of Lindsey Nickel de la O. From the beginning Lindsey had a vision for this year’s ADDY Awards. While we rarely run short on vision in groups like AdFed, volunteer efforts often fall short on execution.

Not this time. Through Lindsey’s dedication and hard work we’ve seen her vision become reality. From directing the video, to planning the gala, to preparing the presentation, Lindsey has invested the extra time needed to make sure this event will be a success.

There’s still time to join the fun. Register online at www.aafsuncoast.com and step Through the ADDY Glass to find out who the winners are of the 2013 AAF-Suncoast ADDY Awards.

Until next week,

Matthew Anderson, President
Milestone Marketing Associates, Inc.