O'Neill and Associates - O'Neill ONLINE

Dear Friend,

 

As we gather together with friends, family and loved ones to give thanks this week, we should also take this time to remember our neighbors in need and those who go without during this holiday season. In the spirit of giving, let us reflect on how we can give back to our community to make the holidays a little bit brighter.

 

On the heels of the commercially-branded Black Friday and Cyber Monday comes #GivingTuesday, the third annual international celebration of generosity and giving back. From small and large businesses to community centers, families and students, people all over the world will partner together with thousands of charitable organizations to go online, donate and spotlight an array of worthy causes under the hashtag #GivingTuesday. Last year, donations on #GivingTuesday surpassed $27 million for over 7,000 not-for-profit partners, twice the amount collected in its inaugural year, and are expected to double again in 2014.

 

Now - more than ever - social media has become a powerful tool for nonprofits, allowing organizations of all sizes to broaden their networks of supporters and raise awareness for critical issues on a global stage. However, #GivingTuesday, founded in 2012 by the New York City nonprofit 92nd Street Y, is not meant to serve as a replacement for continuous giving efforts, but rather as a reminder of what the holiday season truly embodies. O'Neill and Associates is proud of our longstanding partnerships with our not-for-profit clients, especially those who will be participating in #GivingTuesday.

 

Happy Thanksgiving and best wishes for a wonderful holiday season, from our family to yours.

 

Sincerely,

 

Tom O'Neill 

Chief Executive Officer

Twitter: @tponeill3

   

 

November 2014 OA Online: In This Issue
Thousands Gather for the Faneuil Hall Tree Lighting Spectacular
Winter Wonderfully This Season at the Boston Harbor Hotel
Salvation Army Hosts Red Kettle Run Throughout Boston
National Braille Press and Make Way for Ducklings Store Host Children's Braille Reading Event
Remembering Associate Michael D. Ralph
Upcoming Client Events
Client Spotlight

Thousands Gather for the Faneuil Hall Tree Lighting Spectacular  
Thousands Gather for the Season's First Holiday Tree Lighting and Full Day of Entertainment

 

This year, Faneuil Hall's Christmas tree - standing almost 90 feet tall - boasts 30,000 glimmering lights to complement the 350,000 LED lights around the Marketplace. If that wasn't enough to attract thousands of Bostonians and visitors to the Marketplace, the Faneuil Hall Tree Lighting Spectacular on Saturday, November 22nd also featured a day full of entertainment, special guests, and a live hour-long broadcast on CBS Boston's WBZ-TV to start the holiday season off with a bang.

 

Globe Santa and the Christmas Revels opened this year's Faneuil Hall Tree Lighting Spectacular at 2:00 p.m. as the Main Stage at Marketplace Center continued to fill with entertainment with the Love Dogs presented by Scullers Jazz Club followed by Jilly Martin and Ryan Brooks Kelly, brought to the stage by the Hard Rock Caf�.

 

The Sugarbabies Band rocked around the Faneuil Hall Tree as the pre-show entertainment leading up to the live broadcast at 8 p.m. that featured holiday performances such as the Tanglewood Festival Chorus conducted by Maestro Keith Lockhart, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: The Musical, and The Nutcracker by the Boston Ballet. Anchors Lisa Hughes and David Wade co-hosted the spirited event, which also kicked off the New England Patriots Annual Holiday Toy Drive.

 

CBS Boston's David Wade and Lisa Hughes with Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh 

Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh also joined in on the fun by reading Twas the Night Before Christmas to the crowd and flipping the switch to light the magnificent tree and all of Faneuil Hall Marketplace, as part of Blink!, the 6-week light and sound extravaganza.

 

Treat yourself this Holiday Season with a venture to Faneuil Hall Marketplace and see the tree lit with the Blink! light and sound extravaganza running every half hour from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. nightly until January 4th. Make sure to also bring your little ones as Faneuil Hall Marketplace partners with the Globe Santa Claus this holiday season and make sure you have time to snap a photo with the Jolly Old St. Nick so check his schedule here at Holiday Blink!.

 

For more information about O'Neill and Associates' public relations practice, click here.

 

Winter Wonderfully This Season at the Boston Harbor Hotel
All Winter Long, the Boston Harbor Hotel Hosts "Winter on the Wharf" to Spread Holiday Cheer to Bostonians and Visitors 

The Boston Harbor Hotel kicked off its Winter on the Wharf season on November 22nd with a Season Opener Celebration. The afternoon showcased Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, from the Citi Schubert Theatre, and kept everyone celebrating with hot chocolate, face painting, music, crafts, cookie decorating, and more!

 

The fun will continue all season long with unforgettable festivities such as Skate with Santa, Disney on Ice Presents Worlds of Fantasy Winter Mixer, First Night on the Wharf, the 26th Annual Boston Wine Festival, Hot Chocolate on Ice, and a Valentine's Day Sweetheart Skate.  

 

What would the Holiday Season be without the savory and sweet seasonal indulgences? Winter on the Wharf hosts numerous Holiday Dining Traditions at the Boston Harbor Hotel including: Thanksgiving Day Brunch, Thanksgiving Dinner at Meritage, Frost Tea, the Nutcracker Ballet Character Breakfast, Christmas Day Brunch and Dinner, New Year's Eve at Rowes Wharf Bar, and, of course, a Toast to 2015 at Meritage.

 

Be sure to mark your calendars for a family weekend or even a romantic date night and take advantage of the outdoor skating under the rotunda and the apr�s-skating sweets and drinks offered daily as part of the Boston Harbor Hotel's Winter on the Wharf.

 

To learn more about O'Neill and Associates' communications experience, click here.  

 

The Salvation Army Hosts Red Kettle Run Throughout Boston
Red Kettle Campaign Launches In Boston  

O'Neill and Associates' teams get ready for the Red Kettle Run

On November 19th, The Salvation Army and three-person teams descended upon downtown Boston for the Second Annual Red Kettle Run. Armed with red kettles, teams collected as many donations as possible in half an hour. The event served as the official Red Kettle Kickoff in Massachusetts - generating an early burst of buzz for the organization's longstanding Red Kettle Campaign that raises funds for individuals and families in need. Salvation Army Red Kettles are a holiday tradition marked by the countless bell-ringers located at supermarkets, shopping malls, and other sites nationwide.

 

During the Red Kettle Run that started on the Boston

Common, businesses, organizations, and Bostonians
OA team of Nicole Giambusso, Nairi Aprahamian and Ann Murphy collect donations from client Murphy & King (second from right) for the Red Kettle Run   

worked together with their friends and colleagues to take the kettles on the move and collect donations to help their neighbors in need.

 
This year, The Salvation Army's Red Kettle Campaign goal in Massachusetts is $3.36 million, with donations going back to the communities in which they were raised. Hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year, including food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and the sick, clothing and shelter to the homeless, and educational programs for children. Additionally, Red Kettle Campaign donations provide children with toys and warm coats and families with Christmas dinner - spreading holiday cheer to our friends and neighbors in the most need.

 

To learn more about O'Neill and Associates' nonprofit expertise, click here.  

 

National Braille Press and Make Way for Ducklings Store Host Children's Braille Reading Event  

 

Braille reader, Chris Devin, reads the book Dragons Love Tacos to children at the Make Way for Ducklings store in Faneuil Hall Marketplace. 

The children's reading event took place on November 20th, where weekly story hour is held every Thursday morning at 10:30 a.m. at the Make Way for Ducklings Store. This particular Thursday event coincided with the 30th Anniversary of the National Braille Press' Children's Braille Book Club, the first book club featuring print/braille books in the country. National Braille Press celebrated this milestone with a reading of Dragons Loves Tacos by braille reader Chris Devin. The children also sang the "Dragons Love Tacos" song, while shaking miniature maracas.

 

Robert McCloskey's Make Way for Ducklings, the official storybook of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, inspired the theme for the Make Way for Ducklings Store in Faneuil Hall Marketplace. Created

(L-R) NBP President Brian McDonald, Sarah Nixon of the May Way for Ducklings Store, and Braille Reader Chris Devin 

by Adam Hirsch, owner of The World's Only Curious George Store in Harvard Square, the store also supports other internationally-recognized authors with local Boston ties. The dynamic story time hosted by Make Way for Ducklings Store is held upstairs and is unique every week with music and crafts for the kids!

 

National Braille Press, promotes literacy for blind children and access to information in braille for children and adults. NBP has programs such as: Great Expectations: Bringing Picture Books to Life for Blind Kids; ReadBooks! Because Braille Matters Family Outreach Program; Bumpy Basics: Board Books to Introduce Toddlers to Literacy; and Lifelong Literacy for those trying to work, manage their healthcare, and stay current in the world.

 

Experience the Holidays by curling up with your 2 to 5 year olds at the Make Way for Ducklings Store during story time or by taking a stroll through the store at Faneuil Hall Marketplace while finishing your holiday shopping!

 

For more information about O'Neill and Associates' nonprofit experience, click here. 
This Month at OA

Remembering Associate Michael D. Ralph   

January 3, 1947 - November 13, 2014  

   

This month, O'Neill and Associates remembers our dear friend and colleague Michael D. Ralph, who lost his courageous battle to cancer on November 13, 2014. Michael will always be remembered for his infectious sense of humor, his honorable sense of dignity, and his admirable devotion to public service and to serving our country. Michael always made us proud to know him and his enduring legacy is one that will forever be marked by his humility, friendship, and love. In this difficult time, the O'Neill and Associates family sends their thoughts, prayers and love to his wife Sally and son David.

 

Save the Date: Upcoming Events

O'Neill and Associates' clients to host inspiring events

 

O'Neill and Associates, New England's leading public relations and government affairs consulting firm, is led by former Lt. Governor Thomas P. O'Neill III. With offices in Boston, MA and Washington, D.C., the agency employs senior level professionals to help clients define the right messages and get those messages to target audiences, including government officials, the media, community leaders and consumers. We serve clients in diverse industries, including financial services, transportation, healthcare, nonprofit, energy, and real estate development. Contact us toll-free at 1-866-989-4321. Follow us on Twitter at @ONeillandAssoc.

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