August Northwest Indiana Tweetup Recap: $180 Raised for Local Shelter (Correction $277 Yeah!)

Karen from Isabella Bean Coffee in downtown Valparaiso hosted last night’s Northwest Indiana Tweetup (#nwitweetup on Twitter.) If you’ve never been to Isabella Bean’s, it’s a delightful little place with exposed brick walls, hardwood floors and lots of colorful artwork hanging about. In fact, tonight kick’s off a 6-artist reception/show–check the web site for more details: http://isabellabean.com/. Spend this rainy Friday evening with an organic spiced latte and admiring work from local artists. Show is from 5-7 p.m tonight–stop by and tell Karen you heard about it from Tweetup.

Karen selected Christian Community Action of Porter County as the non-profit to receive funds raised during the Tweetup. R.G. Skadberg, CCA’s Director, was on hand to share a little about what they do… CCA’s mission is to help those in need throughout their communities. They offer safe havens for the homeless at Spring Valley Shelter, care for mentally ill women at Greenwich House and financial support for families through the Emergency Assistance Program. They not only provide temporary solutions for individuals and families, but also offer education and support services to help guide clients to long-term living success.

The talented artist/baker Meg Wolfe (a.k.a. Cinnamon Bunny) was on hand with her famous vegan cinnamon buns, delicious and still warm from the oven when things kicked off at 7:00 p.m. James Barath has become a big fan of the cinnamon buns and purchased a dozen which were then auctioned to raise money for CCA. (Rasaan Taylor from Livemercial had the winning bid with $30–his coworkers .) James and Meg also made sure the group had plenty to sample ahead of time to get our appetites warmed up.

Meg Wolfe’s husband, Steve Johnson, is also a talented artist.  (His work is on display at the Isabella Bean show.) James Barath purchased one of Steve’s original paintings for auction last night. The framed 8″ x 10″ acrylic was titled “In the Mirror” and retailed for $75. Laurie Griffith from the United Way had the winning bid of $42, with James Barath contributing the remaining $33.) and James Barath matched the winning bid up to the retail value of $75. Why the bid of ‘42′ someone asked? “Because it’s the answer to everything, according to the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Universe“, we were all reminded… (I learn so much at these Tweetups!)

So far, $105 $147 raised–along with a box of non-perishable items collected: toilet paper, dryer sheets, cleaning supplies, etc… Not a bad result for a bunch of tweeters, but it got better! First-time Tweetup attendee Steve Vansak, a photographer,  stood up and asked if he could auction off a portrait package, retail value $40. Christine Neal from Target Promotions won the package for $40. Steve quickly offered up another one and Raasan Taylor was again a winning bidder at $35.

Perhaps inspired by Steve Vansak’s on-the-spot offer, Christine Neal offered up a booth at the upcoming Back to Business Expo for auction (retail value of $150.) Rasaan Taylor was again the winning bidder at $55.

It was great to see several new faces last night…

Steve Vansak @sbvphotography
Angela Ramos @angela ramos
Lara Pudwell @lpudwell
Laurie Griffith @lauriegriffith @nwivolunteer @unitedwaypc
R.G. Skadberg @rginvalpo @ccatransforms
Kurt Goode @kgoode1
Lauren Petersen @elliottsmommy @laurenalexispho
Christine Neal @targetexpos

Of course, it’s always fun to see the familiar faces of local Tweeple I have come to know and appreciate:

Tia Hoffman @evelynbaycoffee
Karen @izzybeancoffee (sorry, but this Twitter ID doesn’t seem to be working anymore–anyone have an update?)
Nichole @iamfiction
Eric Beschinski @processpayments
James Barath @mycmps @nwireconnect
Meg Wolfe @cinnamonbunny
Nathan Findling @natfinn
Dave Woodson @davewoodson

And yours truly, Kathy Sipple @kathysipple, as well as tweeting on behalf of my new client @ewacupuncture.

If you have comments, video, photos, etc. from last night, please feel free to post and share. It’s #followfriday so a good day to add your new #nwitweetup contacts to your follow list on Twitter.

Was looking forward to the September (Pseudo September / October) Tweetup, but the date has been changed per the request of Livemercial–sounds like it will be our biggest and best yet! The date is Thursday, September 24th Tuesday, October 6th 7:00 p.m. The location is The Venue (Bistro 157) in Valparaiso. Livemercial is sponsoring the event and Opportunity Enterprises is the charity they have selected. Save the date!

August Plans, July Video Available

We always shoot for meeting the 4th Thursday of each month, so pencil in that date and check back here or on Twitter (#nwitweetup) to find specific details on place. (Location varies each month, but tends to be somewhere in Valparaiso so far–if your venue is interested in hosting, please contact @kathysipple to discuss.)

Thursday, August 27 Tweetup at Isabella Bean (@izzybeancoffee) in Valparaiso. RSVP via Twtvite: http://twtvite.com/8mnnsh.

For those of you wondering who the heck comes to a Tweetup, here’s some video from Dave Woodson (@davewoodson) that might help: http://bit.ly/Oo4yp.

September details are coming together and will be available soon. Need volunteers to host and help plan for October, November, December.

Happy tweeting!

July NWI Tweetup Recap

Thanks, Blackbird Cafe (@blackbirdcafe) for hosting last night’s Tweetup. Owners Dan & Mary supplied fabulous baked goods, made by Dan. Mary & Dan chose Dunebrook as the non-profit agency to receive collected donations. Dunebrook serves families effected by child abuse. Mary serves on their board; several Dunebrook staff members attended last night.

It was a slightly smaller than usual turnout–maybe a lot of people on vacation or travelling? But, hey–it’s quality, not quantity, right?

Here’s a list of attendees if you want to follow or connect on Twitter:

Donna Flanagin @bulkmail4u
James Barrath @mycmps
Rich Schmidt @richschmidt
Diana Dibkey @dunebrook
Kathy Sipple @kathysipple
Rahsaan Taylor @saan1911
Nichole B. @iamfiction
Tia Hoffman @evelynbaycoffee
Nat Finn @natfinn
Mary Koselke @blackbirdcafe
Jonathan Thomas @jonathanwthomas
Jacqueline Thomas @jackiethomas
Dave Woodson @davewoodson
Frank White @fewhite39
Aaron Simac @aaronsimac

Dave Woodson had his video camera out and was recording short sound bites from various attendees. Hopefully Dave will let us know when he posts the link on Vimeo.

We don’t have a venue set for August or September Tweetup. Suggestions and help with the planning are welcome. Ideal hosts are people who are already on Twitter or willing to get on Twitter and use Twitter to help promote the event.

Save the Dates!

The next Northwest Indiana Tweetup will be held on Thursday, May 28th at Isabella Bean Coffee (@izzybeancofee on Twitter) in Valparaiso, 7 pm – 9 pm. Proceeds to benefit LEAF (Legal Environmental Action Foundation.)

The June Tweetup will be held Thursday, June 25th at Evelyn Bay Coffee Company (@evelynbaycoffee on Twitter) in Valparaiso from 7 pm – 9 pm.  Please bring a non-perishable food item (or items!) to support Banta Feeds (@bantafeedss on Twitter), a local food pantry.

Though #nwitweetup ends “officially” at 9 pm, I’m sure some of you will want to continue the conversation–perhaps at a local watering hole?

Please send your suggestions for future Tweetup venues. Ideal hosts are businesses who are already utilitizing Twitter and serve (or allow) food and drink.

We are targeting the fourth Thursday of each month for the Porter County Indiana Tweetup. Partners from Lake, LaPorte and other surrounding counties welcome to help organize. It would be cool to have alternate locations (multiple Tweetups) on other weeks of the month. #nwitweetup will help provide organization for your announcements. Please contact Kathy Sipple if you are interested in coordinating a Tweetup in Northwest Indiana outside of Porter County.

Hope to see all of you at the next Tweetup. Please help spread the word. Thanks!

April NWI Tweetup Recap

Thanks to all who turned out for the 3rd Northwest Indiana Tweetup (#nwitweetup) at Passtimes in Valparaiso last week. Passtimes bought the first round and supplied free appetizers–very nice! Sadly, this month’s organizer, Steve Dalton (@daltonsbriefs) felt sick and had to leave before I arrived. Steve, I hope you’re feeling better and thanks for your efforts.

We were in the “club room” in the back, a great space for this type of get together. There is an adjoining room with an over-sized sofa and 4 or 5 chairs–a nice option for engaging in quieter conversation.

Returning Tweeple included:

@kathysipple : Kathy Sipple, Social Media Coach
@evelynbaycoffee : Rich & Tia Hoffman from Evelyn Bay Coffee
@mycmps : James Barath, Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist
@loan_guy : Scott Swinford, CMPS & Credit Score Improvement Expert
@davewoodson : Dave Woodson, Indiana FHA Mortgage Expert
@iamfiction : Nichole
@saan1911 : Rahsaan Taylor
@aaronsimac : Aaron Simac
@jonathanwthomas : Jonathan W. Thomas and his lovely wife, Jacqueline

Welcome to some first time attendees, too:

@prayeramedic: Dan O’Day and his wife Tiffany O’Day
@lybolt/@nwisbdc: Joshua Lybolt from NW Indiana Small Business Development Center
@primerealestate: Mags Lybolt
@saffrin: Jeff & Grace Saffrin
@processpayments: Eric Beschinski
@richschmidt: Rich Schmidt

Please send me an email or post a comment if you want to add anything else. Hope to see you at the next Tweetup on May 28th. Details to follow soon.

March NWI Tweetup Re-Cap

Thanks to all who turned out for the 2nd Northwest Indiana Tweetup (#nwitweetup) at Coladas Pizza in Valparaiso last night. Thanks also to Coladas Pizza for providing us with the flower leis (a big hit!) and the complimentary munchies. Those little bread bubbles are highly addictive…and go very well with beer, as it turns out.

Thanks also to Pat and Jerry Yocom from Lake Effect Embroidery (@LE_Embroidery) who donated two more #nwitweetup ball caps. Leanne Hoagland Smith (@coachlee) won the first one and Dave Woodson (@davewoodson) won the second one, a new and improved golf hat model, complete with its own little zippered compartment for your tees–ingenious! Jerry Yocom sported a new hat that bore the insignia of a little bird and the words, “Follow me on Twitter @LE_Embroidery.” The back was embroidered with “Tweet U Later.” Very cool–contact them to order your own personalized Twitter wear or other custom embroidered items.

Quite a few people in the group had attended the 1st Tweetup and quickly picked up threads of conversations begun at the February meeting that have continued via Twitter ever since. Returning Tweeple included:

@kathysipple : Kathy Sipple, Social Media Coach
@kissmyaster : Amanda Thomsen, Blogger for Horticulture Magazine
@LE_Embroidery : Pat & Jerry Yocom, Lake Effect Embroidery
@evelynbaycoffee : Rich & Tia Hoffman from Evelyn Bay Coffee
@mycmps : James Barath, Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist
@loan_guy : Scott Swinford, CMPS & Credit Score Improvement Expert
@mumblingmutant : Brian Morin
@davewoodson : Dave Woodson, Indiana FHA Mortgage Expert
@iamfiction : Nichole
@saan1911 : Rahsaan Taylor
@painmgmtvalpo : Natalie Worstell
@bigballsofholly : Dan Thomsen
Welcome to some first time attendees, too:

@tudorrestores : James Tudor, Tudor Restoration Services
@seancawby : Sean Cawby
@jonathanwthomas : Jonathan W. Thomas and his lovely wife
@lxristel : Kristel Messer, Valpolife.com
@grammarpanda : Mary Nolan
@coachlee : Leanne Hoagland Smith
@aaronsimac : Aaron Simac
Lisa Massey : lisamassey38@comcast.net
Arleen Rice : arleenrice@yahoo.com

I really hope I’m not forgetting anybody… Please send me an email or post a comment if you want to add anything else. Hope to see you at the next Tweetup on April 23rd. Details forthcoming–check back soon.

NWI Tweetup Now on Twitter

Guess it makes sense that an event about Twitter would have its own Twitter ID. Check it out at @nwitweetup.

Spread the word! Hope to see a lot of you on the 26th @coladaspizza. They’re providing free appetizers, leis and some other free giveaways. Beer, wine and boat drinks available @sharkbar.

@le_embroidery said they were going to donate another couple of cool #nwitweetup ball caps as prizes too.

@kathysipple will keep an eye on things and handle any incoming messages or inquiries.

NWI Tweetup Mentioned on the Radio

One small step for Kathy Sipple, one giant step for social media in Northwest Indiana? Time will tell… In any case, I was lucky enough to be asked to speak on WBEW 89.5 FM (vocalo.org) yesterday about social media. I posted a lengthy, detailed update on my personal blog complete with links to the archived show if you want to check it out.

Just wanted you to know that I plugged NWI Tweetup there. Please keep the event in mind whenever you have the opportunity to post events on local web sites or any other means to publicize it. Again, just a reminder–our next Tweetup will be Thursday, March 26th at Coladas Pizza 7-10 pm in Valparaiso. Thanks for helping to spread the word.

As an aside, vocalo.org is an interesting tool you may want to check out. I was unfamiliar, but after some research learned that it is more or less the radio version of social media. Its content is 100% user generated. If you are looking for ways to expand your message beyond Twitter, maybe this is something you want to check out for yourself.

1st Northwest Indiana Tweetup Makes the News!

Robert Blaszkiewicz, a reporter from The Times, attended the Tweetup last Thursday. He was enthusiastic and engaging, playing Tweetup Bingo right along with the rest of us! Here’s a link to his story that ran in this morning’s paper: http://bit.ly/X2msI. Please spread the word–hopefully, we’ll continue to build awareness and attendance of our Tweetup.

Happy tweeting!

1st Northwest Indiana Tweetup

Thanks to all who braved some very large raindrops and a lightning storm to attend the first Northwest Indiana Tweetup (#nwitweetup) last night. Tia and Rich Hoffman from Evelyn Bay Coffee (@evelynbaycoffee) in Valparaiso provided the warm and welcoming setting; they are active Twitterers and were enthusiastic about hosting the kick-off event.

Evelyn Bay Coffee donated three one-pound pakages of coffee to reward prize winners who participated in Tweetup Bingo. Lake Effect Embroidery (LE_Embroidery) donated two baseball caps emblazoned with “#nwitweetup” as prizes–great idea to help build awareness about the event. Congrats to winners and thanks to all who participated in this somewhat offbeat networking game.

As promised, here is a list of last night’s attendees so you can follow one another on Twitter more easily if desired:

@bigballsofholly – Dan Thomsen
@boardworks – John Sipple
@coladaspizza  – Katy Hurst (#nwitweetup hat winner!)
@daltonsbriefs – Steve Dalton
@davewoodson – Dave Woodson
@evelynbaycoffee – Tia & Rich Hoffman
@iamfiction – Nichole
@kathysipple – Kathy Sipple (#nwitweetup hat winner! No, not rigged…)
@kissmyaster – Amanda Thomsen
@le_embroidery – Pat & Jerry Yocom
@loan_guy – Scott Swinford (coffee winner!)
@marrells – Jennifer Boone
@mbstockdale – Mary Beth Stockdale
@mumblingmutant - Brian
@myCMPS – James Barath
@nwi – Robert Blaszkiwewicz
@nwirealestate – Roxanne Gottleber
@painmgmtvalpo – Natalie Worstell
@saan1911 – Rahsaan Taylor
@sammyv22 – coffee winner (@iamfiction said she would give it to you)

Not on Twitter or Twitter ID not available/found/provided:

Paul Gilligan, Sumotext, paul@sumotext.com
Jay Gottleber, Coldwell Banker jay.gottleber@cbexchange.com – coffee winner
Christy Johnson, Victorian Manor Salon: radianthealth999@hotmail.com
Margie Keithley, Coldwell Banker margie.keithley@cbexchange.com
The Chocolate Garden www.chocolategarden.com

My apologies if I missed someone here who wished to be included. Feel free to post your information in the form of a comment though. Please spread the word and let other know about this blog and about the next Tweetup… Coladas Pizza (@coladaspizza) in Valparaiso has offered to host the next one–put it on your calendar: Thursday, March 26th 7-10 p.m. Hope to see you there!

Please share your comments, suggestions, feeback, etc.!