New Blog in Our Network! Achieving Professional Balance for Women and Moms

"The Fulcrumpoint" - Achieving Professional Balance for Women and Moms".

Kelly McLaughlan is CEO of KME Internet Marketing, an online marketing and social media optimization firm - and a Career at Home Mom (CAHM) of 4 young children. Having evolved and reinvented herself through the traditional stages of careers for Women and Moms (Professional, DINK, COHM, SAHM, WAHM, CAHM), Kelly offers others the benefit of her advice and techniques for achieving the right fulcrum point in the balance between professional career and family life.

Follow on Twitter - @thefulcrumpoint

Recent entries:

Practical Guidance on Getting Started with Social Media

Babies and Big Butts

COHM to SAHM to WAHM to CAHM

A More Personal Take on Professional Balance

Enjoy!

Loudoun YouthFest - Sat., June 27th, 3-9 PM, Belmont Country Club

Make plans now to attend Loudoun's YouthFest featuring Forever The Sickest Kids! on June 27th, from 3-9 pm at Belmont Country Club. Enjoy Live Music, Games, Food and Attractions, and more! Admission free. for more information, call 703-737-8335 or visit www.loudounteens.org

Loudoun Loses Another Blogger

Over at LoudounExtra.com, another key member of the blogging digerati has departed - Erica Garmen will no longer write for the "Living in Loco" blog, having handled affairs for about a year and a half following the originator, Tammi Marcoullier. So far, no replacements have been named, to take on the "all things Loudoun" mantle at this particular newspaper (The Washington Post).

Here at Gateway to Loudoun County, as Loudoun County's longest-running, Loudoun-centric, citizen-generated blog (we think so, anyway, based on our limited research), we're sorry to see Erica depart, and look forward to having another Loudoun resident and great online conversationalist join the area Blog-o-sphere. We might suggest the "Living in Loco" helm be stewarded by a group of bloggers - this may help with retention of personality and continuation of topics...

A little history about us - we originally started as "Braddock South Online", focused purely on the Dulles South/Braddock Road area back in 2006 (remember the CPAM issues?), but gradually evolved into Dulles South concerns and eventually all things Loudoun business, community, non-profits and online entrepreneurialism - injected every once in a while with some Northern Virginia women and mom-related material, and some Internet Marketing topics (for consumption by Loudoun businesses and organizations looking for more exposure).

We're very much "Made in Loudoun", and look forward to more bloggers under the same banner.

Social Media Makes a Difference - Congratulations Moms for a Cure!

Congratulations are most definitely in order for the "Moms For a Cure" Team, headed by Ari Jones, named Saturday as the 2009 Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Woman of the Year for the National Capitol Area! Ari and her team managed to raise more contributions ($139,000) over the past few months than all other local competitors in this very highly visible and important annual event. Beyond Ari's incredible energy and leadership, her team's countless volunteer hours, and of course the direct generosity of donors large and small - what may have made the difference was the synergy of online and offline activities, communication and marketing.

The Moms For A Cure online presence not only made ample use of their website, but also many social media tools and forums; from Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter, to Blogs, Discussions, Emails, Online News and Magazine Outlets and Internet Marketing techniques. It's fast becoming standard and required practice for nonprofit organizations and charities, for maximum online fundraising outcomes, to orchestrate and coordinate offline efforts with smart, extensive social-media driven online campaigns.

Very unique and creative fundraising tactics are easier and cheaper to implement with Web 2.0 technology and social media forums, from online raffles (like those run by our local paws4people foundation) to online pledging campaigns. Additionally, it's far less expensive and time-consuming to manage donors and contacts using such tools. Corporate sponsors and donors also find it easier to promote their involvement and harness their own online marketing machines to supplement the direct cash value of donations, attracting even more donors. What's most important for success with social media fundraising campaigns appears to be the motivation and energy of the promoters, and the consistent, orchestrated strategy of smart social media use.

Ready to leverage social media for your nonprofit fundraising activities? The KME Internet Marketing Social Media for Nonprofits Team can help.

Congratulations to Dulles South Youth Sports Track First Season!

The Dulles South Youth Sports Track Team successfully completed its first season at Freedom High yesterday, with a great turnout at the last meet of the Spring. Events included the 1600 (mile), 200, and 4x100 relays. Freedom track team members were on hand as the team wound down things with an end-of-season party, and all agree the team was a resounding success...look for Dulles South Youth Sports Cross Country programs in the Fall, and a return of the 3rd-6th grade track program next Spring!

Kelly McLaughlan (Volunteer/Meet Coordinator) hands out awards to top finishers, while Julie Jasper (Program Founder) looks on...

Saturday Morning Fun in Arlington

Fantastic "Arlington Rap" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T1RMuoQnKo .

Vote Democratic Primary Election (Governor/Lt. Governor) tomorrow, June 9, 2009

From the Loudoun County Website:

The Virginia Democratic Primary Election will be held Tuesday, June 9, 2009, in which voters will select the Democratic nominees for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor, who will run in the General Election in November 2009.

All registered voters in Loudoun County are eligible to vote in this election. Polls will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Anyone in line at 7:00 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

Candidates

Governor:
Terry R. McAuliffe, Brian J. Moran, and R. Creigh Deeds

Lieutenant Governor:
Jody M. Wagner, A. Michael Signer, and Jon I. Bowerbank

Brief Candidate Thoughts:

In our opinion, we've got a refreshing candidate in Creigh Deeds, who appears a bit more moderate, less tied to outside or "establishment" hierarchies, and offers practical ideas within courageous voting choices, practical funding limits and sources, expectations and promises. The Washington Post's endorsement was very clear, and we agree with most points. Particularly, his number one focus on transportation hits a clear winning chord with those of us here in Northern Virginia, dealing with life-changing traffic on a daily basis.