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The multi-state devastation left over from Hurricane Helene (which hit my state on September 27th) shattered countless lives.

Some of the hardest hit communities include those on the western side of North Carolina, in and around Asheville, where rains and the resulting massive floods left many neighborhoods (and lives) in complete ruin.

While national, state and local agencies and volunteers are working to bring aid to those in need, this recovery will require a lot of time and even more money.

There will be no quick fixes or magic wands to solve the devastation.

To help make people aware of the problem and encourage donations for the recovery effort from Hurricane Helene, I’ve produced an audio public service announcement that is available for broadcast use, web use and podcast use to spread the word of where donations are accepted.

FREE PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA FOLLOWING HURRICANE HELENE

(Please note, in this time audio pirating, no portion of the audio from this PSA may not be use for any other purpose than the purpose stated above). LINK HERE.

There are many worthwhile organizations that are accepting donations to aid the Hurricane recovery efforts. For the purposes of this free recording, I chose the following:

• The North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund – helping Hurricane ravaged communities recover from catastrophic damage – donate at nc.gov/donate
• Catholic Charities USA, where 100% of Hurricane gifts collected will go to support recovery efforts. Visit CatholicCharitiesUSA.org
• The American Red Cross, which is accepting Hurricane Helene donations at redcross.org/donate

If you are don’t work in broadcast or don’t produce a podcast, but know people who do, please feel free to share this post and this PSA with them.

Thanks.

This audio public service announcement (PSA) to support regional and national fundraising efforts for Western North Carolina – as a result of Hurricane Helene – is available for FREE all broadcast (Radio/TV/Cable), Podcasters and Webcasters who support this effort. No other use of this audio is permitted.

Tags: audio'connell voice over talent, commentary, podcast, podcasting, public service announcement, radio, tv by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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The American Red Cross is now taking donations on behalf of the Japanese Red Cross – helping those people impacted by the earthquake in Japan and the subsequent tsunami in the Pacific.

[audio:http://www.audioconnell.com/clientuploads/mp3/AmericanRedCross_110314_prd.mp3]

Click here to download the PSA

This PSA, written and produced by audio’connell Voice Over Talent from content taken directly from the American Red Cross web site, is available here from audio’connell Voice Over Talent for free download and general public use at no charge by any media outlet wishing to rebroadcast this audio clip only in its entirety.

The American Red Cross has had no direct responsibility for the production of this PSA.

The script for the PSA is as follows:

Your donation to the American Red Cross can now help support the efforts of the Japanese Red Cross.

In response to the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan and given the widespread damage and enormous humanitarian needs, the Japanese Red Cross indicated that it would accept financial support from the American Red Cross for its role providing first aid, emotional support and relief items to those displaced.

Those who want to help can go to www.redcross.org and donate to Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami. People can also text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation to help those affected by this disaster.

Your gift to the American Red Cross will support the disaster relief efforts to help those affected by the earthquake in Japan and the tsunami throughout the Pacific.

Financial contributions to the American Red Cross are tax-deductible. On those rare occasions when donations exceed American Red Cross expenses for a specific disaster, contributions are used to prepare for and serve victims of other disasters.

Tags: commentary, public service announcement by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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I heard on the radio today that the Salvation Army red kettle donations are down this holiday season. That’s sad.

Almost as sad as the news a year or so ago that some retailers will not the Salvation Army set up in or near their stores…that to me is inexcusable as the Salvation Army has done nothing but good for those in need.

Fortunately in NYC this past weekend on many street corners and this week when I was at a Shopko in Green Bay, the Salvation Army and their volunteers were out in force. Thank you New York and thank you Shopko!

I don’t have any affiliation with the Salvation Army other than to throw some money into a kettle once or twice a year.

It truly does NOT matter how much you can give (seriously, loose change is fine…dollars are better, etc) and no you don’t have to give every time you see a kettle but please donate to the Salvation Army if you haven’t already. Just once is fine.

If you have a blog or a facebook or twitter account, please promote this post…not for me or for SEO but for people who need our help.

Even better, if you want to write about this yourself, please do…and you can use my picture from this post as well. I took the picture not knowing about today’s news report but because watching people walk past this kind lady ringing a bell as if the bell was just more background noise broke my spirit a bit.

Maybe, I hoped silently as I left St. Patrick’s Cathedral – the edifice she was standing in front of, they had already given at another kettle.

A little internet and social media love for the Salvation Army might be just the little reminder some folks need. Thanks.

Tags: commentary, public service announcement by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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If some group or organization wants to bring attention to a cause or event, the easiest way to do that is by celebrity endorsement.

If the famous person is well liked, chances of the group or organization’s “ask” being answered (donation, signature, whatever) are probably better.

Celebrities like to do this because many of them are big-hearted and like to help.

The challenge is so many celebrities are supporting so many causes, the message can fade pretty quickly.

To wit (don’t I sound ejukated) the Gulf Coast Oil Disaster – I’m sure there have been telethons and maybe a concert and I’ve been outta that loop (that’s the fade part I spoke about). Doesn’t mean I don’t care, it just means that their message (the event organizer’s message) didn’t resonate with me or get my attention. Theirs is a hard job.

But today I saw a YouTube video freezeframe (that still image that marks where a video screen is located) with Sandra Bullock holding up her index finger. That visual caught my eye and I watched. And I listened. And I thought you might want to too.

Theirs is a hard job – getting the message to everyone – but not an impossible job.

Tags: commentary, marketing, public service announcement, social media, video, youtube by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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Sometimes thoughts just randomly pop into my head for no reason.

One of them was “what ever happened to that ‘Stand Up 2 Cancer’ event they did a couple of years ago?”.

Well as I tickled the plastic keys (as opposed to the ivory keys which never sounds very good when I do it) I saw that the web site is still alive and kicking and even has a new PSA which I’d not yet seen.

Maybe we need to give this campaign a little blog love so if you not only a reader but a writer of blogs, feel free to push this along, tweet it or facebook it and let’s see if we can draw some attention and money towards this program.

Thanks.

Tags: blogs, commentary, community, public service announcement, stand up to cancer, su2c by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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[audio:http://www.audioconnell.com/clientuploads/mp3/pcto09_promo_audiconnell.mp3]
Right click here to download this promo!

For those podcasters or bloggers who would be so inclined, please feel free to download and use my contribution to the “call to arms” (or promos, actually) for Podcamp Toronto 2009.

If you would be willing (you don’t have to) please tag the spot with the mention of the blog address (www.voxmarketising.com) the website address (www.audioconnell.com) or the audio tag “audio promo courtesy of audio’connell voice over talent – the perfect choice for an awesome voice!”

Thanks and we’ll see you there!

Tags: advertising, blogs, commentary, commercials, internet, marketing, pcto09, podcamptoronto, podcamptoronto2009, podcasting, public service announcement, social media, technology, voiceover blog by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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