Oh, wait. Charlotte County resident? That’s me! Do I feel weird writing and distributing a media release about moi? Absolutely! But I’m doing it for the cause: to educate local media and hopefully residents the importance of the space program.
Through participating in the NASA Tweetup, I’ll be sharing the experience with my 5,000+ Twitter followers (including Emilio Estevez @EMILIOTHEWAY!!! and Florida Gov. Rick Scott @FLGovScott), Facebook fans and blog readers. It’s not about the bragging rights of viewing the launch from 3 miles away, it’s about the good NASA had done through research to improve our quality of life.
Here’s the irony about this release. I wrote and shared a media release template with my #NASATweetup participants and some have had success in earning editorial coverage from it in daily and weekly newspapers (while others have earned media coverage on their own). I also work in public relations. I distributed this release to print publications earlier in the month and not one media outlet has contacted me. LOL! Guess they don’t think it’s newsworthy or they’re just running the release without contacting me.
If any members of the media are out there, here’s a national (international) story with a local connection:
Charlotte County Resident is One of 150 Selected to Attend NASA Tweetup, April 28 – 29, 2011
NASA Twitter Followers Will Tweet Space Shuttle Endeavour’s Last Launch
Port Charlotte, Fla. (April 05, 2011) – NASA will bring together 150 Twitter followers to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a two-day Tweetup, April 28 – 29, 2011, during the final launch of space shuttle Endeavour. Charlotte County resident Ms. Jennifer Huber has been selected as one of 150 @NASA Twitter followers to attend and Tweet the event. Endeavour is targeted to launch on April 29 at 3:47 p.m. EDT on mission STS-134 to the International Space Station.
As a NASA Tweetup attendee, Huber and the other 149 Twitterers will interact with NASA shuttle technicians, engineers, astronauts, managers and NASA’s social media team as well as tour the Kennedy Space Center and view the shuttle launch from the media area. Attendees were selected through a lottery system in which more than 4,100 @NASA Twitter followers applied during a 24-hour period in mid-March.
“Selected for the NASA Tweetup is an incredible honor especially since the space shuttle program is winding down,” Huber said, “My grandparents introduced me to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and the space shuttle program the summer of 1981. Ever since, I’ve been interested in the space program. Being part of the NASA Tweetup means I’ll meet people who make the space shuttle program successful and interact with fellow Tweetup attendees who share my interest in NASA. Through Twitter, I’ll be sharing the incredible experience with my followers by composing informative Tweets no longer than 140-characters and posting photos and videos.”
Huber is the Public Relations Manager for the Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau and accomplished travel blogger and Twitterer. She’s been named a Top 50 Travel Twitterer to Follow, One of 101 Women Bloggers to Watch, and coordinated live Tweeting efforts for the 2009 Sarasota Film Festival. Follow her Tweets at twitter.com/jenniferhuber.
NASA Tweetup attendees are traveling from across the U.S. and globe to attend this historic event. A list of registered Twitter attendees can be found on the NASA Tweetup Twitter account: http://twitter.com/NASATweetup/sts-134-launch/members
Information about the NASA Tweetup can be viewed at http://www.nasa.gov/connect/tweetup/index.html
Note About Endeavour’s Launch Date
The date of Endeavour’s launch will be official after the Flight Readiness Review, scheduled for April 19. If the launch date moves or is delayed prior to April 29, NASA will make every attempt to adjust the Tweetup schedule accordingly to coincide with the launch.
Really great write up and so glad you are having the opportunity to do this. Incredible opportunity.
Eileen