Determine what your service project(s) will be. Whether big or small, the service project will require planning. Use the list of
resources provided later in this handbook to inspire you as you begin to think about your project. Contact your regional service
chair and other APO alumni volunteers if you need help getting started with your chapter’s planning.

Here are some things to consider as you begin planning your project:

• What is the primary reason you want to do this project?
• What are the goals for this project?
• How many brothers are available for this project?
• What are the specific assignments that will be necessary to plan and execute this project? Make sure to list required duties and request help from brothers in your chapter.
• What materials and supplies are necessary and how much will they cost?
• What outside resources will be used?
• What non-APO participants will you invite to participate? Your chapter might decide to include other organizations, community groups, faculty, staff or the family and friends of your chapter’s members.

Once you answer those questions, you’ll be prepared to do the following:

• List the specific steps to be taken to complete this project successfully
• Complete a proposed budget showing all anticipated income and expenses
• List contingency procedures (if more brothers volunteer than expected, adverse weather, etc.)
• Begin the next steps in project planning

In early October, begin drafting promotional materials. Write letters to be sent to government officials requesting a NSW proclamation. Check if your regional service chair has started this process at the state level and send requests to your municipal and state governments once final drafts are complete. In these letters, explain what your chapter is doing and which groups will benefit from the project.

This is also the time to draft news releases, blog posts and other pieces of content you will publish to promote your project, as well as organize any other social outreach efforts. Make calls to people, especially non-APO participants, who may be helping with the service project. Make sure everyone involved has adequate information and any materials necessary to promote the project.

Confirm all planning duties and pre-NSW responsibilities with brothers and non-APO participants. All steps of preparation should be assigned to specific individuals. At this time, remind all participants of the date(s) of your project(s) and begin encouraging brothers and other volunteers, if applicable, to sign up for the project.

All publicity efforts for NSW should begin no later than mid-October. Put information on the university website, post flyers around campus and the surrounding community and place reminders in university mailboxes. Reach out to local news reporters and community bloggers to introduce yourself and your chapter’s project. Publish updates on your chapter or region’s blog and social media platforms, if available. Be proactive in talking about the project(s) and NSW to classmates, professors and other campus organizations. The following pages discuss publicity in greater detail.

All project details should be solidified by late October. Media outreach should be ongoing and online social promotion efforts should be active.

NSW is always the first full week in November, and thus always begins on the first Sunday of the month before ending the
following Saturday. Ideally, your NSW project(s) should take place this week, though that is not required.

Have responsibilities for all project participants to manage.

Here are some things to remember to do for the project:

• Designate a place for the volunteers to meet prior to the project, if applicable.
• Have a sign-in/sign-out sheet for all volunteers, if applicable.
• Make sure NSW organizers are easily reachable in case of questions.
• Take pictures of the project.
• Speak with reporters or any onlookers interested in understanding what your brothers are doing, if applicable.
• Write down any feedback received from participants during the project for improvement next year.
• Have fun!

It is important to remember reactions to this project when your chapter prepares for next year’s NSW.

Ask yourself and others questions like:

• Did we forget anything or plan any parts of the project poorly? Examples: Was there not enough parking? Did you forget about another major campus event that left you without access to necessary rooms or outdoor spaces?
• What did participants like about the project? What would they have changed?
• Did you receive any feedback from the organizations/charities you worked with?
• How could you have gotten more brothers involved?
• What unexpected logistical issues came up that could be planned for next year?
• How could promotional efforts be more successful next year?

While reflecting on this year’s project, you could write and submit an article about it to the Torch & Trefoil, which can be done online. Follow-up with the appropriate contacts (media, volunteers, university officials, etc.) and thank them for their support. Chapter officers must submit a NSW Report through the Chapter Officer Portal at https://op.apo.org by November 15. Reports are REQUIRED for a chapter to remain in good standing with the Fraternity regardless of whether or not the chapter did a project. Reporting is required for chapter to submit for the Fraternity’s Chapter of Excellence Award. Please be prompt.

Reaching out to your local newspaper and news stations before and after your project can result in tremendous coverage of your chapter and further educate about the environment. Prior to any media outreach, you must prepare a news release and media list. Your news release will share the basic newsworthy details of your project, as well as background on your chapter and APO. Your media list will be a comprehensive list of all reporters to contact at campus and community newspapers, television stations and radio stations.

• Reporters will not necessarily see APO the way we do. They may not care or see the need to publish or broadcast our efforts. If one reporter at an outlet rejects your outreach, look for another, possibly more appropriate contact at that outlet.

• Don’t get irritated with media members. Reporters can’t plan breaking news. As you have many weeks available for a conversation with media members, be as flexible as possible in order to not lose opportunities to other stories that may be more timely or require immediate coverage.

• Be prepared when reaching out to any members of the media. Have your facts – who, what, when, where, why, and project-related contacts – available. Your contact may have questions, so be prepared to discuss both NSW and APO.

• Respond to members of the media in a timely manner. If they have questions about NSW, it’s up to you or your designated PR person to answer them as soon as possible. Reporters have a lot of stories to cover – you need to capitalize on any time they can give you.

• Build Your Media List: Most contact information for reporters and news stations is now available online. Search the outlet’s main website for instructions on how to submit news. Additionally, reporters and editors are often avid users of Twitter, so connect with them there! While gathering the necessary contact information for relevant reporters, collect the contact information of the main news desks as well (Example: [email protected] or [email protected]).

• Proofread: Edit every news release and email multiple times before sending them. Editors and reporters are known to dismiss  press releases and pitches with misspelled words and/or poor grammar.

• Reach Out: Send your news release to the news editor or news desk approximately two weeks in advance with a short emailed introduction of yourself and NSW. Ask your contact in that email if they would be interested in learning more, either by email, on the phone or in person. Make it clear you want to do what is best and most convenient for the reporter that is working with you.

• Work With Reporters: Remember that coverage can come in multiple forms, such as preview of the event, a profile on how APO members are contributing to the environment and how others can help, coverage on-site at the event by a reporter or a wrap-up report of the event with APO-provided information after the event has concluded.

• Follow Up: If you do not hear back after your initial outreach, follow up two or three days later to ask if the individual you contacted is interested in learning more about NSW or can provide you with the name of a contact/colleague who may be interested.

• Remind the Press: As the project nears, it is okay to send the news desk (not a specific reporter) your news release once more. Another news story reporters planned to cover may have been canceled and there may be room for a last-minute replacement.

Chapter Contact’s Name
Address
Phone Number

Date

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HEADLINE – SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR PROJECT LIKE “FRATERNITY TO FOCUS ON [THEME] FOR NATIONAL SERVICE WEEK”

Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed National Service Fraternity active on more than 360 college campuses nationwide, announced today that [DATES] will be its “National Service Week”.

“National Service Week” is one of the largest college service efforts throughout the United States. The National Fraternity’s individual Chapters sponsor campus and community projects simultaneously throughout the country both to draw greater attention to a specific cause and to involve as many people as possible in a unified volunteerism effort. This year, Alpha Phi Omega Chapters nationwide will be working to provide service in [“THEME.”] Beta Beta Gamma, the Fraternity’s local Chapter at XYZ College, is planning (announce the project you have selected and explain it. Be as specific as possible and include the time and location of where the project will be held. If you are working with other organizations be sure to mention them here as well.)

XXX Chapter of (University) was chartered into Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity on (date of charter). Since that date, the chapter has maintained a positive presence throughout the campus and surrounding community with projects such as (NAME OF PREVIOUS PROJECTS COMPLETED). The chapter has (NUMBER) members.

Alpha Phi Omega is a National Coeducational Service Fraternity — college students gathered together in an organization based on fraternalism and founded on the principles of the Boy Scouts of America. Its purpose is to develop leadership, promote friendship and provide service to humanity. Since 1925, more than 367,000 students have chosen Alpha Phi Omega, making the Fraternity the nation’s largest Greek letter fraternity.

###

If you would like more information regarding this topic, please contact (PUBLIC RELATIONS CHAIR’S NAME, E-MAIL, Phone Number)

A proclamation is an official declaration made as a public announcement by the government. You may seek recognition of NSW at the city and state levels by sending a request to the mayor’s or governor’s office.

Provided in this handbook is a sample letter you can send to your mayor and/or governor. Retype this on chapter letterhead, include the NSW logo and fill in the chapter’s information. Ensure that you use the proper form of address. Ask your school’s public relations office or your chapter advisors for help getting contacts in government offices if you are unable to find the information easily yourself. This information is often provided on your city’s or state’s official website.

For proclamation requests being sent to your state’s governor, work with other chapters in the same state in a coordinated effort. Sectional and regional alumni volunteers can assist you. Remember that this process takes time, so try to send your requests more than one month in advance. Make sure they have been received and are being processed or reviewed promptly and follow up with the appropriate government contacts to answer any questions they may have as they decide to accept or deny your request.

Use any proclamations you receive to leverage your NSW publicity– that is their purpose. You’ll want to receive confirmation of the proclamation early enough to be able to use it in your publicity efforts. Mention it in your press release(s), media contact outreach, blog content and communication with other individuals or groups that are working on the project with your chapter.

Whereas, Alpha Phi Omega – the nation’s largest National Service Fraternity will participate in National Service Week, an event that the Fraternity has sponsored annually since 1979; and

Whereas, this year’s theme for National Service Week is, “[THEME].” and Alpha Phi Omega chapters will be working to develop projects which will [THEME], and

Whereas, Alpha Phi Omega members seek to introduce volunteerism to individuals who might not otherwise become involved in paying tribute to those who gave so much in the past to make our lives better today, and

Whereas, Alpha Phi Omega Chapters at the [FILL IN SCHOOL NAMES HERE] will all work to promote these ideals and render service to their communities;

Therefore Be It Resolved, that [DATES] is hereby designated as “Alpha Phi Omega National Service Week [YEAR]”, in the State of [YOUR STATE HERE], and I wish all Alpha Phi Omega members a very successful week of service to their campuses, communities and the nation.

The Honorable Joan Bipartisan
Governor
Official Address

Date

Dear Governor Bipartisan:

In support of the spirit of volunteerism, we ask that you proclaim [DATES] as “Alpha Phi Omega National Service Week [YEAR]” in the state of [YOUR STATE]. We hope that you agree to support our efforts in this important cause.

Throughout that week, Alpha Phi Omega – the nation’s largest collegiate service fraternity – will again promote and perform service through our National Service Week. Our co-ed organization has sponsored an event like this annually since 1979. This year’s national theme is “[THEME].”

Your proclamation would help us to focus attention on the importance of helping others and the world around us, specifically through our National Service Week efforts. Such attention will also help us introduce volunteerism to individuals who might not otherwise become involved in their communities.

The primary purpose of Alpha Phi Omega, founded in 1925, is service to the campus, community and the nation. More than 500,000 people over our history have been members of the Fraternity. We are active on more than 360 college campuses nationwide, including [SCHOOLS IN YOUR STATE]. The service that the students involved in Alpha Phi Omega render is rewarded only by the satisfaction they receive in contributing to their colleges and communities, and all but a very few staff members volunteer both their time and resources in maintaining our organization.

Here at [YOUR SCHOOL], our chapter plans to [briefly describe your chapter’s National Service Week project – multiple chapters may combine efforts here).

Should you have any questions, please call me at [PHONE NUMBER] or email me at [EMAIL]. I will contact your office on [SPECIFIC DATE] to coordinate arrangements for the proclamation. Thank you so much for your assistance in this matter.

Sincerely,

[SIGNATURE]

Name

[CHAPTER], [UNIVERSITY]
[OFFICER POSITION]

Does your chapter have its own blog? Blog posts are a tremendous way to spread news, announcements and stories about chapter accomplishments at no cost. You can post words, photos and videos on your chapter’s blog to get people excited and involved in NSW, report its success and share news about next year (remember that your blog can be used throughout the year to talk about ALL chapter activities). For NSW, consider posting about the following:

• An introduction to this year’s NSW theme and your chapter’s project
• An interview with the head of the organization/charity/group your chapter is serving (founder, president, volunteer organizer, etc.)
• A look into the planning and organization of this year’s project halfway through preparation
• Ways alumni and community members can support this year’s project(s) or cause
• Introduction to the NSW committee members or brothers responsible for organizing your chapter’s project(s)
• A look around the region/section – a post about other NSW projects happening in your area

• If you have multiple projects occurring during NSW, share photos and daily summaries that update alumni, community members and other campus organizations on the work your chapter’s brothers are accomplishing throughout the week.
• Don’t want to write? Make a video of interviews with project participants and candid footage of volunteers. You can edit the video footage using the basic software that comes standard on many laptops.

• Summarize the work and results of your NSW project(s)
• Share ways people can continue to help the organizations, charities or causes your chapter supported during the week
• Highlight other ongoing and upcoming events or projects hosted by your chapter
• Remind readers, especially potential pledges and members of other organizations, about ways they can get involved with your APO chapter

After you have written the press release and set up the blog, use the chapter’s social media accounts to drive attention to chapter events year-round. Instagram and Facebook are terrific for sharing photos and links back to your chapter’s blog. Use Twitter to share information and updates about your chapter’s activities and interact with other members of your campus and region.