CreateAthon Co-Founders Cathy Monetti and Teresa Coles Receive Community Spirit Award from Statewide Public Relations Society
June 11, 2014
COLUMBIA, SC – Cathy Monetti and Teresa Coles, the co-founders of CreateAthon, have received the George L. Johnson Community Spirit Award from the South Carolina Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (SCPRSA).
SCPRSA’s George L. Johnson Community Spirit Award, named for a past president of the statewide association of public relations practitioners, recognizes outstanding achievement in service to the community through the contribution of time, talents and skills.
Cathy and Teresa were specifically recognized for their work in developing CreateAthon, one of the marketing industry’s leading pro bono programs. CreateAthon partners donate their time and talent by holding 24-hour marathons during which professionals and students develop marketing strategies and creative materials that can help nonprofit organizations meet specific communications objectives.
Since its founding, CreateAthon has grown from a single-market event in Columbia, South Carolina to a 501(c)3 organization that has attracted more than 85 marketing agencies, universities, corporations and professional clubs as official CreateAthon partners. Cumulatively, CreateAthon has helped more than 1,500 nonprofit organizations in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom by delivering more than 3,200 pro bono marketing projects valued at more than $16 million.
CreateAthon’s impact on the nonprofit community has produced an impressive array of work including strategic planning, branding, inbound marketing strategy, social media strategy, promotional collateral, event planning, fundraising, video stories, web design and mobile apps – all for the benefit of organizations that otherwise would not have these resources.
In addition to the SCPRSA award, Cathy and Teresa’s work in the arena of skills-based volunteerism has been recognized by numerous local and national organizations.
Cathy is the recipient of the Columbia Advertising Club’s Silver Medal Award for outstanding contributions to the industry, and the Central Carolina Community Foundation’s Carolyn Holderman Vision Award for her leadership in helping parents nurture a spirit of philanthropy in their children. Cathy was named one of the “Ten Most Generous Marketing Geniuses” by Fast Company and profiled in Catchafire’s Generosity Series on “changemakers who have demonstrated their generosity through acts of service.” Greater Columbia Business Monthly magazine named Cathy one of the “50 Most Influential People” of the year for 2014.
Teresa’s passion for advocating the importance of skills-based volunteerism in the marketing industry has led to opportunities to coach corporate social responsibility and marketing professionals from leading corporations such as Discovery Channel, Altria and BMW Foundation on how their organizations can embrace the marathon model as an engaging employee and community service initiative.
Teresa also led Riggs Partners to become a charter pledge company of A Billion + Change in 2011, where she and her colleagues have been an active voice in encouraging small businesses to create or expand skills-based, pro bono service programs. To that end, she currently serves as a member of the Small Business Advisory Group for A Billion Plus Change and as a member of the Leadership Faculty for the Corporate Institute at the Points of Light Foundation.
For more information about CreateAthon, visit www.createathon.org.
