Marketing Firm Proves Positive Correlation Between Generosity and Success

Verdin Marketing Ink celebrates five years of healthy growth, giving back, and 10 awards for excellence
Since opening its doors five years ago last month, Verdin Marketing Ink has outgrown two office spaces, acquired nine new staff members, expanded its client base, and garnered 10 awards for excellence in the last three years. Verdin Marketing has also found time to donate over $125,000 in services to local non-profits, proving the adage that what you sow, so shall you reap – even in the competitive world of the advertising business.
Beginning as a one-man shop from a second-floor office in the historic Sinsheimer Brothers building downtown, Verdin Marketing Ink has expanded both its staff and its services and moved to a larger space at Broad and Upham. A second move is planned for the coming year, into their own space that they will design.
“We have a talented staff of 10 now, plus a Cal Poly intern,” said Verdin, “and though our local clients form the majority, we’re also serving a more regional market that includes counties to the east, north and south of San Luis Obispo. It’s been an exciting five years.”
Equipped with 18 years’ experience working with all types of businesses—from hospitality and finance to retail and telecommunications—Verdin has developed a strong reputation in public relations, creative advertising, and the use of leading-edge new media that deliver results. From day one, Verdin has also made it a policy to give back to the community. Each month, the company “adopts” one non-profit and donates a full day’s work to that organization.
“Good marketing is about high standards, quality work, and great service,” said Verdin. “Service that yields results for our clients. That’s been the cornerstone of what we do. And yes, I do think there is a positive correlation between being generous and being successful. While giving back is always its own motive, it’s been proven that businesses who support their communities have experienced great successes. It’s a philosophy that we recommend to our clients all the time.”
Verdin Marketing Ink provides effective advertising and public relations solutions for any business at any budget.

Pam Dassenko to be Honored at SLO Symphony Ball

Local Dentist, musician, and Co-Concertmaster Selected as 2nd Annual Symphony Honors Recipient
Local dentist and violinist Pam Dassenko will be the recipient of the Second Annual San Luis Obispo Symphony Honors Award, to be presented at the SLO Symphony Ball & Auction this February. Now in its 21st year, the gala, black-tie event will be held on Saturday, February 28th, 2009 at 6 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at the Embassy Suites Hotel.
A 1974 American Federation of Music Congress of Strings Scholarship winner, Dassenko has been playing the violin since the age of seven. Having studied with Claire Hodgkin and most recently with Oliver Steiner at the Eastman School of Music, she played with the Riverside and Redlands Symphonies before moving to San Luis Obispo. Dassenko has been playing with the San Luis Obispo Symphony for more than 20 years and currently serves as co-concertmaster. She has been a member of the Festival Mozaic (formerly Mozart Festival) orchestra since 1988, and also performs with Pacific Repertory Opera and the Cuesta Master Chorales orchestras.
“Pam was president of the San Luis Obispo Youth Symphony for five years, has been a consistent and generous financial donor, and has often hosted fundraising events in her home,” said Steve Bland, Symphony Ball Chair for 2009. “She has participated in all four Symphony tours and is a wonderful ambassador for the Symphony and a strong advocate for classical music. One name kept coming up from almost everyone who made a suggestion [for this year’s honors award], and that name was Pam Dassenko.”

Established last year to honor those who have demonstrated longstanding commitment to the success and vision of the Symphony; and who have served with dignity, honesty, humility, and professionalism – this award first honored Clifford Chapman and Gene Shidler at last year’s ball.

“I am touched and humbled by this honor,” said Dassenko, who credits her flourishing career as a dentist and her husband, Tom Miller, for supporting the uncountable number of hours she has devoted to her musical passions. “Tom was very tolerant of my ‘obsession’ with the issues at stake in the survival of the Youth Symphony, and the late night hours it often involved,” she said.
Now entering her 29th year in dentistry, Dassenko graduated in 1980 from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry where she won both the American Academy of General Dentistry Award and the President’s Award that year. Since then she has been a teacher in the Restorative and Prosthodontics departments at Loma Linda; has completed post-graduate work in full mouth restoration and aesthetic dentistry; and is a surgical and prosthodontic graduate of the Misch Implant Institute. Among Dassenko’s many professional affiliations, she is a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists.
The theme for this year’s Symphony Ball is “La Belle Epoque” meaning “the beautiful era” – a golden age between the late 1890s and the First World War when peace, innovation, and the arts flourished in Europe. Guests will travel back in time to Paris, France for a “belle soiree” of dining and dancing; and are encouraged to bid on live auction items that will feature Central Coast wines, gala parties, exciting getaways, fine jewelry and more, in a setting decorated with golden tapestries and glittering lights.

Taking the Guesswork out of Finding Health Care Providers

www.centralcoasthealthsource.com announces site launch
Recently launched, CentralCoastHealthSource.com is San Luis Obispo County’s premier website for finding local doctors, dentists, hospitals, pharmacies and many other health care services. Unique in its approach, the site is a comprehensive resource of providers’ profiles, sorted by area of expertise. CentralCoastHealthSource.com addresses a previously unmet need in the area and is an exciting new tool for people who are new to the central coast, have recently changed insurance providers, or are merely looking for a new provider.
While the site offers no medical advice, consumers are encouraged to post reviews and comments about their experiences with the health care providers and services they use. This type of open forum gives users an opportunity to research and review several patients’ perspectives, which can assist them in making more informed decisions regarding their health care needs. The postings also serve the health care industry by giving the providers candid patient feedback.

Walk for Life Raises over $73,000 for AIDS Support Network

Pictured above: Verdin Marketing Ink 's team the "INKBlots". The INKBlots raised over $1,300 with their participation in the walk. Pictured left to right is the INKBlots: Tara, Susan, AJ, Mary, Alden, Michelle, and Carissa.

Nearly 300 walkers showed up despite the threat of rain for the 17th annual AIDS Support Network’s (ASN) Walk for Life on Saturday November 1st. Neither rain nor economic downturn could stop supporters from raising over $73,000 to help those living with HIV and AIDS receive the services they need.
“I’ve had to revise the numbers three times in the last hour,” said ASN’s Executive Director, Edie Kahn. “People keep coming upstairs with more money!”
ASN staff were especially surprised and thankful for the strong Cal Poly presence, especially from the residence halls, fraternities, and sororities on this year’s Walk. One particular fraternity, Lambda Chi Alpha, stepped up to do some of the hardest work, such as set-up, barbecue, and tear-down. “They were phenomenal!” said Kahn.
Acting as walk monitors and providing street direction were members of the Grizzly Academy, who have been the agency’s “go-to” group for this service every year. “They are always just great!” Kahn said.
Adoptable dogs supplied by Woods Humane Society accompanied many of the walkers; music from KYNS radio kept everyone moving and motivated; and a delicious barbecue lunch followed the three-mile walk that looped through downtown.
“I figured we’d be way down this year,” said Kahn. “But I am so excited. What great community support!”

Verdin Marketing Ink turns 5 years old!

Join VMI for music, mingling and munchies as we celebrate our 5th Anniversary!
Friday, December 12, 2008 from 4:00pm - 7:00pm in the Verdin Marketing Ink Backlot.
Verdin Marketing Ink was born on December 15, 2003. The past five years have been an amazing time of creative expression, growth and fun. We look forward to the next five years to come!

“Kid’s Main Event Crab Feast” Benefits Local Wrestling Organization

The Central Coast’s best youth wrestlers battle live at all-you-can-eat Dungeness crab fundraiser

The Meathead Wrestling Club will hold it’s annual Kid’s Main Event Crab Feast on Friday, December 12, 2008, starting at 6:00PM. Attendees will feast on all-you-can-eat fresh Dungeness crab feast while watching the Central Coast’s best youth wrestlers, ages seven to 12, battle live on the mat. All proceeds will go to promote local participation in the great sport of wrestling and to assist local wrestlers of all ages reach their potential.
The crab feast will take place at the Madonna Expo Center, located at 100 Madonna Rd. in San Luis Obispo. Tickets are $40 each and are available at Meathead Movers or by calling 544-6328. Corporate sponsorships are also available from $300 - $1,000.
“It’ll be great to see these kids out there showing their skill in wrestling,” says Aaron Steed, member of the Meathead Wrestling Club Board of Directors. “I’ve seen many of our youth members benefit from wrestling by developing their self esteem and focusing skills. Our intention with the club is to provide a positive environment where our youth members can learn how to wrestle and, more importantly, how to achieve in life.”

Two Grants Help Aspiring Musicians and Support Volunteers

The San Luis Obispo Symphony receives grants from Community Foundation’s Art Inspires! and Holser Education Funds to support beginning musicians and Symphony volunteer programs
The San Luis Obispo Symphony has received two grants from the San Luis Obispo County Community Foundation (SLOCCF) totaling $8,800.
One grant, in the amount of $4,500, comes from the Holser Education Fund for the Performing Arts. This grant will be used to provide need-based scholarships to 40 of the 75 children currently enrolled in the Symphony’s “Strings in the Schools” program. One of seven arts organizations funded, the Symphony was selected to receive this generous grant because of their extensive music education programs, serving grades 3-12, that allow young people to experience and participate in performing arts education contributing to the cultural development of the community. This year’s grant-making program, which awarded a total of $27,750.00, is made possible through a generous endowment established by Clifford Holser.
The Symphony also received a $4,300 grant from SLOCCF’s Arts Inspires! Fund that will be used to continue the development of a volunteer management initiative at the Symphony. This initiative allows both staff and board members to use their time more effectively. The new Symphony Volunteer Association is called “I’m with the Band!” and is currently seeking volunteer members. Art Inspires! Grants, this year totaling more than $25,000 awarded to six arts organizations, are made possible through the generous support of the William Randolph Hearst Fund for the Arts.
“We feel honored and grateful to have been selected to receive these generous grants,” said SLO Symphony Executive Director Sandi Sigurdson. “Our educational programs are vital to young musicians, and we just couldn’t do what we do without our dedicated volunteers!”

Chamber presents Green Awards

Business organization recognizes groups that have taken steps to be environmentally friendly

Six organizations have been honored with the first San Luis Obispo County Green Awards, as sponsored by the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce. The awards recoginize those who have taken exemplary steps to be "environmentally friendly," including reducing pollution, conserving resources and improving water and air quality.
The winners were chosen from more than 50 nominations by judges representing the chamber, San Luis Obispo city and county agencies, and envionmental groups. Meathead Movers was among the six winners. Meathead Movers has introduced biodiesel fuel to their fleet of moving trucks. During the summer months, Meathead recycled more than 32,000 pounds of cardboard and they use tablet PCs on the job to cut down on paper use. Also, newly installed skylights at the Meathead Movers’ offices has allowed the company to leave the lights off during the day.

Adaptive Toy Lending Library Opens This Month

Jack’s Helping Hand offers toys and equipment to children with special needs

Jack’s Helping Hand is pleased to announce the opening of Jack’s Adaptive Toy Lending Library for children with special needs. A Grand Opening will be held on Monday, November 17th, 2008 from 1pm to 3pm at Central Coast Gymnastics in San Luis Obispo. Now, children with special needs can find toys of all kinds that are specially designed and technologically advanced – the kinds of toys and equipment that are often too expensive for many families to afford.
Library hours will be Mondays 1pm to 3pm when a bilingual staff person will be available; Wednesdays 12pm –2 pm; and Saturdays 11:30am – 12:30pm. New, Ability Classes will be offered at Central Coast Gymnastics on Mondays from 3:10-4pm for ages 2-5 years and Saturdays from 11-12pm for ages 6-14 years.
“Jack’s Adaptive Toy Library operates in much the same way that a book library does,” said Jack’s Helping Hand’s Charitable Administrator, Mary Illingworth. “We’ll offer an extensive inventory of equipment and toys that special children can check out at no cost to enjoy at home with their families and friends,” she explained. “Like a typical library, the children can return the item and choose a new one.”
Jack’s Helping Hand is grateful to Central Coast Gymnastics owner Mimi Phene-McKellar, who is providing the space for the library at her facility at 21 Zaca Lane, Suite 100. Phene-McKellar is herself the mother of a special needs child and understands the value of giving all children every chance to play and to grow in a safe environment. Toward that end, Central Coast Gymnastics is offering a brand new program for special needs children called Ability Classes, scheduled on the same days that the library will be open.
“Our pre-school age Ability Classes will be offered on Mondays and will run for eight weeks,” said Phene-McKellar. “Our recreation Ability Classes for ages 6 through 14 will be offered on Saturdays. Children with physical and mental challenges that range from Attention Deficit Disorder to autism and everything in between will have the chance to experience creative movement, learn and use sign language, dance & sing, along with gymnastics during these classes designed to improve their motor skills and just have fun.”
The public and the media are invited to attend the grand opening where toys will be on display and refreshments will be served. For more information, call (805) 547-1914 or (805) 549-8408.
Now in its fourth year of service, Jack’s Helping Hand is a non-profit organization that assists children with illnesses and disabilities, providing special treatments, services, equipment and transportation not provided by other sources, or that exceed family financial capabilities.
Central Coast Gymnastics is a child focused facility that, since 1991, has been committed to inspiring children of all ages a place to learn, grow, and develop through a wide range of programs in gymnastics, cheerleading, dance, acrobatics, trampoline, dance and karate for ages 9 months and up, from beginning preschool gymnastics to high level competitors.

VMI wishes everyone a Happy Halloween. In VMI tradition, all staff came to the office today dressed up. Check out our costumes, we are the VMI Harem with Shiek Nick!


Have a creepy Halloween!