news

Girls Inc Wins WEDU Be More Award!01/15/09

DATE: January 15, 2009 Media Contact: Laura Turner
Vice President of Communications
800.354.9338, ext. 2240; Cell: 727.359.6791 ltuner@wedu.org

50,000 VOTES, 350 GUESTS, 85 ORGANIZATIONS,
44 NOMINEES AND 10 WINNERS
Winners announced for the fourth annual WEDU Be More Awards™

Tampa, FL – The day was filled with great stories, unscripted moments and nail-biting anticipation as WEDU, west central Florida’s primary PBS television station, recognized more than 85 nonprofit organizations in the area who applied for honors and recognition in the fourth annual WEDU Be More Awards™, held Thursday, January 15, 2009 at the A La Carte Event Pavilion in Tampa.

Hosted by WEDU, the WEDU Be More Awards™ luncheon is one of the station’s premier events and paid tribute to outstanding achievements made by nonprofit organizations – both large and small for 2008. Event master of ceremonies Jack Harris, one of the most well-known media personalities in Tampa Bay, was joined by Santiago Corrado from the City of Tampa who presented the Mayor’s proclamation recognizing January 15th as WEDU Be More Awards™ Day; this is the fourth annual Be More Awards Day proclamation made by the City. These special guests, along with 350 others from throughout the west central Florida area, applauded heroic and valiant efforts made every day by the nonprofit community, and the outstanding achievements of the winners in the following nine award categories.

Be More…Involved: The first award was named for and presented to Mason Dixon: The Mason Dixon Be More Involved – Award for Volunteerism. Mason’s good works in the community, including his varied personal philanthropic efforts and chartable foundation – the Mason Dixon Christmas Wish Fund, prompted WEDU to name this award for him – showcasing his sprit of volunteerism and goodwill. As the recipient of the first annual Be More Involved Award, Mason will announce winner of the Mason Dixon Be More Involved – Award for Volunteerism at the 2010 ceremony. The award will be driven by an online poll on wedu.org with the winner being chosen by a tally of popular votes cast by the general public in the WEDU viewing area. The poll will include a listing of all community volunteers – and each of their compelling stories – that are nominated by nonprofit organizations.
Learn more about Mason and his good works during a half-hour primetime episode of Up Close with Cathy Unruh, an exclusive WEDU production, airing Thursday, January 22 at 8:30 p.m.

Be More…Informed: A marketing award for the organization that demonstrated creative, original marketing through broadcasting, print material and/or community awareness campaigns. 2008 WINNER: Meals on Wheels of Tampa. Nominees included: Agape Flights, Inc (Venice); Forty Carrots Family Center (Sarasota); Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County; Meals on Wheels of Tampa and Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium (Sarasota).

Be More…Entertaining: This award honors the organization who hosted a wide variety of special events or one particularly original special event or fundraiser for community benefit. 2008 WINNER: Family Service Centers, Inc. Nominees included: Abilities Foundation (Pinellas); Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay; Family Service Centers, Inc. (Pinellas); Jewish Family and Children’s Service (Sarasota) and St. Petersburg Free Clinic, Inc.

Be More…Brilliant: An award for the organization that displayed the most imaginative, creative, and innovative use of original ideas to achieve organizational goals. 2008 WINNER: Girls Incorporated of Sarasota County. Nominees included: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay
Community Haven for Adults & Children with Disabilities, Inc.; Girls Incorporated of Sarasota County; The Children’s Home, Inc. and Wheels of Success, Inc.

Be More…Knowledgeable: An award which recognized the educational outreach tools an organization has employed to educate the community through guidance, knowledge, emotional or physical support, and/or a mentorship program. 2008 WINNER: Sunrise of Pasco County, Inc.; Nominees included: Family Network on Disabilities of Manatee/Sarasota, Inc.; Lawyers for Literacy, Inc. (Pinellas); Operation PAR (Pinellas); Stageworks, Inc. (Hillsborough) and Sunrise of Pasco County, Inc.

The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay Community Spirit Award recognized outstanding achievement by a nonprofit organization within their service area. 2008 WINNER: The Children’s’ Home (Hillsborough). Nominees included: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay; CASA (Community Action Stops Abuse, Inc. - Pinellas); Meals on Wheels of Tampa; Ophelia Project & Boys Initiative of Tampa Bay; Southeastern Guide Dogs (Manatee) and The Children’s Home.

In addition there were three other awards celebrating community support, overall appeal, and outstanding achievement:

Be More…Humble: A people’s choice award was decided by an online poll driven by votes from the general public in the WEDU 16 county viewing area. This prestigious award exhibits the connection and relationship the organization has with the community and the people the organization serves. At the close of the 30-day voting window, the WEDU Be More Awards™ People’s Choice Poll received more than 50,000 “unique user” votes. The top five organizations receiving the most votes and nominees for the People’s Choice Award were: American Red Cross Manatee County Chapter; Big Cat Rescue; Early Learning Coalition of Pasco and Hernando Counties, Inc.; Tampa Bay Computer Society and Tampa Area Marine Parents Association (T.A.M.P.A). 2008 WINNER: Big Cat Rescue (Hillsborough). This is the third consecutive year that Big Cat Rescue has captured the People’s Choice Award.

Be More…Encouraged: An award that is decided entirely by the WEDU Be More Awards™ panel of independent judges without any specific criteria but based on the organization’s overall appeal and likeability. 2008 WINNER (dual award honorees): Little Red Wagon Foundation in partnership with Lazydays Partners Foundation (Hillsborough). Nominees included: Early Learning Coalition of Pasco and Hernando Counties, Inc.; Little Red Wagon Foundation, Inc. & Lazydays Partners Foundation, Inc. (Hillsborough); Operation Helping Hand, Inc. (OpHH) (Hillsborough); Stageworks, Inc. (Hillsborough) and Sunrise of Pasco County, Inc.

Finally, Be More…Unstoppable the most coveted award of the program. One nonprofit group was named WEDU Be More Awards™ Nonprofit Organization of the Year 2008 – selected by a panel of judges from all submitted applications. The award criteria consists of overall excellence demonstrated in the selected category; fulfillment of the four commitments to the community, including service to the organizations’ constituency, level of community impact, financial viability and embodiment of overall community goodwill. 2008 WINNER: Meals on Wheels of Tampa. Nominees for Nonprofit Organization of the Year included: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay (Hillsborough); Forty Carrots Family Center (Sarasota); Girls, Inc. of Sarasota County; Meals on Wheels of Tampa and Sunrise of Pasco County, Inc. In addition to other benefits, the recipient of this honor received a $1,000 community investment grant from WEDU.

While all organizations that applied for a WEDU Be More Award™ are extremely dedicated and tireless in their commitment to their community, the award-winning efforts demonstrated by the winners will be recognized, along with excerpts from the ceremony, on the WEDU Be More Awards™ Be More Inspired one-hour, primetime television special premiering on WEDU Thursday, February 19th at 9:00 pm and hosted by Jack Harris.

A nationally-recognized, award-winning program, The WEDU Be More Awards™ generates awareness for nonprofit organizations and celebrates the spirit of goodwill throughout the community. The WEDU Be More Awards™ have received national attention through a prestigious “Academy Awards® like” approach in honoring charities. In addition, PBS, based in Washington, D.C., took notice of this innovative program after its inaugural year and contracted with WEDU to assist in the distribution of the “Be More Awards” program nationally. The first PBS station to host the event outside of Florida was KAET based in Phoenix; their second annual “KAET Be More Awards” will be held in May of this year.

WEDU partners with many cultural and educational institutions in west central Florida to bring the arts, education and culture to its television audiences and members, and enrich and inspire the community it serves.
For more information about the WEDU Be More Awards™, programming, TV schedules, channel guides, special events, outreach efforts and community partnerships visit www.wedu.org or call 800.354.9338. WEDU, a 501(c)(3) organization, is west central Florida’s primary PBS station reaching 16 counties including the Tampa, St. Petersburg, Pasco, Polk and Sarasota areas through multiple media platforms including on-air broadcasting and online experiences that broaden horizons, transport and transform and open gateways to new ideas and new worlds. WEDU, recently received its fourth consecutive four-star rating by Charity Navigator, an honor only achieved by 6% of charities nationwide, is financially supported by its local community, and provides the highest quality education, information, and entertainment programming, special events and outreach activities.

About PBS
PBS is a private, non-profit media enterprise that serves the nation’s 355 public non-commercial television stations, reaching nearly 90 million people each week through on-air and online content. Bringing diverse viewpoints to television and the Internet, PBS provides high-quality documentary and dramatic entertainment and consistently dominates the most prestigious award competitions. PBS is the leading provider of educational materials for K-12 teachers and offers a broad array of other educational services. PBS’ premier kids’ TV programming and Web site, PBS KIDS Online (pbskids.org), continue to be parents’ and teachers’ most trusted learning environments for children. More information about PBS is available at pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org Web sites on the Internet.

Latest News

USTA Grants Girls Inc. Tennis Program

05/29/13

Girls will learn tennis this summer!

NASA comes to Girls Inc. for second year in a row

05/29/13

Girls Inc. focuses on healthy body, strong mind this summer

05/29/13

Heather Hackett joins Girls Inc. Staff!

Swim lessons continue at Girls Inc.

05/10/13

Thank you Gulf Coast Community Foundation and Keith and Linda Monda

Girls on the Run 5K results

05/06/13

Summer Registration Open Now

05/05/13

New Executive Director Announced

04/18/13

Girls Inc. welcomes Robin Rose

Register for Girls On the Run 5k today!

04/09/13

Watch 25 Years of "She Knows Where She's Going"

03/27/13

Tampa Bay Lightning honors Girls Inc. Volunteer Bill Johnson

02/27/13

Mr. Bill honored as Lightning Community Hero

Girls Inc. Newsletters

11/13/12

Mote Marine Partners with Girls Inc.

11/01/12

Flats For Philantropy

10/09/12

Purchase Diana Kelly Shoes and support Girls Incorporated of Sarasota County

Michael's on East supports Girls Inc.!

10/08/12

Join Michael's on East every Monday starting October 15 in supporting Girls Inc.

Girls Inc. announces Board of Trustees for 2012-2013

08/24/12

Check out Girls Inc. girls modeling at Old Navy's Birthday Party!!!

08/23/12

Dream Harbor Community Bank Wins National Award

07/18/12

Alumni Come Back to Volunteer

07/10/12

Girl's Inc. girls continue to come back even after they leave our doors as young women.

Girls Inc. Makes Rounds in North Port

07/10/12

Sponsered by Gulfcoast South AHEC, girls participate in "Making Rounds"

Girls Inc. Girls Get Cooking at Keiser University

07/10/12

Girls get a special trip to the Culinary School and Keiser University

Girls On The Run 2012 Photos!

05/01/12

Girls Inc. Announces partnership with NASA for summer camp

04/25/12

Summer Camp Registration Open Now!

03/26/12

Swimming, cooking, computers and MicroSociety!!!!

Winners Announced for the Sarasota Girls Inc. Global Film Festival

03/22/12

For, By and About Girls

Girls Inc. E-Newsletters

02/18/12

click here for the latest

Thank you!!!!

02/09/12

Thank you for inspiring girls to be Strong, Smart and Bold!!!

Girls Inc. Receives Highest Honor

01/23/12

MicroSociety Names Girls Inc. the Only 4-star afterschool program in nation

"She Knows Where She's Going" Honorees Named

01/05/12

Meet founder and director of National Girls On the Run

01/04/12

Celebration Chairs Announced for 24th Annual Luncheon

01/01/12

Save the Date...March 20, 2012

Holiday Giving Guide

11/29/11

It's a great season to help Grow a Great Girl!

JCI Donates $100,000 to Girls Inc. for scholarships

10/12/11

August Newsletter

08/08/11

Read all of the latest information about Girls Inc.

Nutrition is in the Bag!

07/19/11

Join and help Girls Inc.!

July Newsletter

07/12/11

Get the latest about Girls Inc.!

Girls Inc. girls head to New York for Corporate Camp for Entrepreneurs

06/27/11

Sarasota Team selected to travel

Gulf Coast Community Foundation Awards Grant to Girls Incorporated

06/24/11

Healthy Body Strong Mind All Summer Long!

06/20/11

"Girls Inc. Credible" Inner beauty fashion club

06/20/11

What a great way to spend the summer!

Still spots left for Summer Camp

05/09/11

Two week sessions available

Girls On the Run Photos!

05/03/11

January - April donors

05/02/11

Growing Great Girls

05/02/11

G3 Circle Members

New Balance Girls On the Run 5k

04/12/11

New Balance Girls on the Run 5K - Register Now!

Girls Inc. Girls go to the Polo Match

04/06/11

Visit the Founders Club Millon Dollar Model Homes Showcase and help Girls Inc.

03/24/11

April 4-April 10th

Go to Gulf Coast Gives Now to Help with STEM!!!

03/24/11

Girls Inc. Thanks Junior League for Done in a Day!!!

01/19/11

Government Center Gets Makeover

Registration Forms for Girls Set Sail

01/15/11

Girls Inc. Receives Boost Funding

12/29/10

Register Now for Girls On The Run!

12/29/10

Girls Incorporated Regional Awards Presented

12/15/10

Check out the latest Girl TV episode!

12/06/10

Features Chef Paul Mattison

She Knows Where She is Going Winners Announced

12/02/10

Mark your calendars for March 22, 2011 to honor these women!

Holiday Trees for Sale

11/19/10

Shop at local business, buy a tree, support a girl!

Thank you Suntrust for Supporting Girls Incorporated!

11/16/10

Girls Inc. Awarded 4-Star Second Year in a Row!

10/08/10

Charity Navigator recognizes Girls Inc.

Thank You Icard Merrill for supporting Girls Inc.

09/24/10

Happy 57th Anniversary

Girls Inc. Wins National Award

09/20/10

Dream Harbor recognized for excellence

Girls On the Run!! Sign up today

09/17/10

Click here for packet

Nominations for "She Knows Where She's Going" Award Accepted Now!

09/08/10

All nominations are due by October 5

"She Knows Where She's Going" Award Nomination Packet

09/08/10

Entries due by October 5

July Newsletter

07/30/10

TV Sponsorship Packet

07/21/10

Click here to find out how to sponsor WSSB Girl TV

Watch WSSB Girl TV Every Saturday Morning

07/12/10

airs every Saturday morning from 7:30-8:00am on ABC 7!

Girls begin summer camp and making rounds!

06/08/10

Middle school girls learn about careers in health care

Girls On the Run Event Results

05/12/10

Thank you to all who participated!!!!

March Newsletter

04/12/10

Girls Inc. receives 4-star rating from Charity Navigator

10/05/09

America's premier charity evaluator gives 4-star

Watch WSSB Girl TV

05/14/09

Every Saturday morning from 7:30-8:00am on ABC 7

Join the Connoisseur Club!

05/07/09

You can relax, dine and shop while helping Girls Inc.!

Help Us Serve More Girls!

01/15/09

Support a Girl

Girls Inc Wins WEDU Be More Award!

01/15/09

Cosimo's for a Cause

12/09/08

Girls Inc. Charity Dinner

Girls Inc. and People's Pottery

12/05/08

Eat, Shop and Fundraise!

Girls Inc. at Sarasota City Commission

12/02/08

Mayor of Dream Harbor Helps Run City Commission Meeting

Girls Inc. Election Results!

10/22/08

Dream Harbor Elections

Girls Inc Welcomes Florida Studio Theatre

10/17/08

Girls Dance with FST

Sarasota Girls Hit Wall Street

07/30/08

High school girls participated in Corporate Camp

Goldman Sachs & Girls Inc. Team Up with Corporate Camp

07/23/08

Watch the video on Forbes.com now!

3rd Annual "Camp" for Aspiring Girl Entrepreneurs

06/24/08

Weeklong Corporate Exploration Motivates Girls to Become Business Owners

Kids in the Kitchen

05/21/08

as published in the Sarasota Herald Tribune - May 21, 2008 In an era of increases in food costs, childhood obesity and families in which both parents...

Girls Inc. Has Much to Celebrate

05/05/08

Girls Incorporated of Sarasota County had many things to celebrate at their 20th annual Celebration Luncheon on April 16th at the Ritz-Carlton.

MMP Jewelry Sale

05/01/08

An evening of shop until you drop fun at the home of jewelry designer Mary Puncec. 10 % of the sale proceeds will directly benefit Girls Inc. of Saras...

Celebrating Girls as Leaders

04/25/08

This year, during the week of April 28 � May 2, the theme is "Empowering Change through Leadership" at Girls' Rights Week.

National Award: Outstanding Affiliate of 2008

04/09/08

Girls Incorporated of Sarasota County recently received national recognition as the first recipient of the Excellence in Action Award - Outstanding Af...

Money Talks!

04/02/08

Girls Incorporated of Sarasota County (Girls Inc.) will be presenting the financial workshop Money Talks!

Inspiration is blossoming with the Venice Garden Club

03/10/08

Girls Incorporated of Sarasota County (Girls Inc.) would like to thank the Venice Area Garden Club for inviting the girls' participation in their Marc...

"MicroSociety" Night at Girls Incorporated

03/05/08

Sarasota, FL In a world all their one, Girls Inc. girls recently hosted an evening to explain their MicroSociety names Dream Harbor.

Women Inspired at Girls Summit

03/03/08

Saturday, March 1, 2008 was a whirlwind of fun and educational workshops for the middle school girls in Sarasota County.