Welcome to 2012! I am sure among your list of resolutions for the new year is to meet more people so you need to be at Lola on the 17th! This month, RCP is partnering with Jazz St. Louis with a mission to promote, present, and preserve jazz in greater St. Louis through performances, education, and outreach activities that build youth and adult audiences for jazz.

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The Details:
> Tuesday January 17th from 5:30 – 9:00 pm
> Lola – 500 N. 14th Street
> In partnership with Jazz St. Louis
> Sponsored by Miller Light
> RSVP by Friday, January 13th to www.rivercityprofessionals.org

The RCP White Elephant Happy Hour is back in 2011! This year we will be at Pepper’s Bar & Grill in the Bevo Mill neighborhood on 12/20 starting at 5:30pm. Wrap a gift and come out for one of the best ice breaker happy hours in town!

The rules are simple:

It is a Holiday tradition! The idea is simple and gets the room moving and mingling. Most people trade upwards of 10 times just to meet as many people as possible! The rules are:

1. Take that old hula dancer salt shaker that you got from Uncle Al last year, tape your business card to it and wrap it (business card under the wrapping).

2. Bring it to the December River City Professionals networking happy hour. We will put it in the pile and give you a claim ticket with a number.

3. At 6:30 pm, we will call people up in groups of 10 by numbers to grab a gift. DON’T OPEN IT YET.

4. After everyone has a gift (still unopened) we will start the trading. You will have 15 minutes to work the room, trading and meeting people. Make the most of the opportunity! Last year people were trading upwards of 10 times!

5. After the 15 minutes, an announcement will be made and you can open your gift. Your next task is to look at the business card and find the person who gave it to you and get the story behind the gift!

Be creative, be tasteful (PG-13 gifts) and have a story to tell! Also be sure to come early so we can start promptly at 6:30.

Tis the season! As the year comes to a close, River City Professionals brings back one of the most exciting and unique ice-breaker activities, the White Elephant Gift Exchange! This is a not-to-miss event taking place at the Saint Louis Science Center on 12/14 that is sure to have the room a buzzing with activity.

The rules are simple:

It is a Holiday tradition! The idea is simple and gets the room moving and mingling. Most people trade upwards of 10 times just to meet as many people as possible! The rules are:

1. Take that old hula dancer salt shaker that you got from Uncle Al last year, tape your business card to it and wrap it (business card under the wrapping).

2. Bring it to the December River City Professionals networking happy hour. We will put it in the pile and give you a claim ticket with a number.

3. At 6:30 pm, we will call people up in groups of 10 by numbers to grab a gift. DON’T OPEN IT YET.

4. After everyone has a gift (still unopened) we will start the trading. You will have 15 minutes to work the room, trading and meeting people. Make the most of the opportunity! Last year people were trading upwards of 10 times!

5. After the 15 minutes, an announcement will be made and you can open your gift. Your next task is to look at the business card and find the person who gave it to you and get the story behind the gift!

Be creative, be tasteful (PG-13 gifts) and have a story to tell! Also be sure to come early so we can start promptly at 6:30.

Welcome to November! This month on 11/16, RCP heads to U City to visit the brand new Ginger Bistor (6665 Delmar). As we do every November, RCP is partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern MO in an effort to collect much needed items for the Littles served by the organization. This year, we will be collecting books! Specifically, we are looking to collect new, hardcover children’s books but if you have good condition used books, we welcome them. Ideal items would be chapter books (titles featuring minorities, sports or the Junie B. Jones, Goosebumps or Mary-Kate and Ashley series).

Other suggestions are:

Suggested Titles:
- For the Love of Autumn by Patricia Polacco
- Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio
- The Lucky Star by Judy Young
- Mrs. Muddle’s Holidays by Laura F. Nielsen
- My Chicoteague Pony by Susan Jeffers
- Owney, the Mail Pouch Pooch by Mona Kerby
- Titanicat by Marty Crisp
- Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katina, Friendship, and Survival by Kriby Larson and Mary Nethery
- Violet the Pilot by Steve Breen
- Willow by Denise Brennan-Nelso and Rosemarie Brennan

Suggested Authors:
- Patricia McKissack
- Sharon Draper
- Sharon Flake
- Books from the Mark Twain Book Award winners or nominees ( http://thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org/kids/bookplanet/twain.cfm)

Reference Books & Periodicals:
- The World Almanac® for Kids 2011 Classroom Kit (http://www.worldalmanac.com/world-almanac-kids.aspx)
- American Girl
- Sports Illustrated for Kids
- Highlights for Kids
- Ranger Rick
- Jack and Jill
- Boys Life
- Newsweek for Kids

If you have any questions about donations, please contact April Baker at abaker@bbbsemo.org.

Summer is here and as always, we seek out the best patios in town to enjoy and this June we head to the new Latitude 26 in Dogtown! Brought to you by the proprietors of Almond’s restaurant, Latitude 26 is the place for casual and smoke free Tex Mex dining. Our partner for the month is UrbanFUTURE which acts as a “connector” of the Family, School and Community in impoverished urban areas.

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The Details:
> Tuesday June 15th from 5:30 – 9:00 pm
> Latitude 26 – 6407 Clayton Ave
> In partnership with UrbanFUTURE
> Sponsored by Corona
> RSVP by Friday, June 11th at www.rivercityprofessionals.org

This May, RCP visits the intersection of Art and Life in St. Louis, Grand Center, and the brand new Kota Wood Fire Grill! In addition we will be partnering with Circus Flora and their 24th season’s production, Ingenioso, an all-new show inspired by the impossible dream of Don Quixote. Hope to see you there!

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The Details:
> Tuesday May 18th from 5:30 – 9:00 pm
> Kota Wood Fire Grill – 522 N. Grand Blvd
> In partnership with Circus Flora
> Sponsored by Guinness
> RSVP by Friday, May 14th to www.rivercityprofessionals.org

Please consider using the valet parking at Strauss Park to avoid Fox and meter parking. Only $5 w/ validation from Kota. http://www.grandcenter.org/about/maps.php

Spring has sprung! This month, RCP heads to the Grove to enjoy the hospitality of the Atomic Cowboy and their amazing back patio. Our partner for April is Wyman Center, a non-profit organization that takes the best teen development theory and makes it real and effective in a way that builds fully prepared teens.

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The Details:
> Tuesday April 20th from 5:30 – 9:00 pm
> Atomic Cowboy – 4140 Manchester Ave
> In partnership with Wyman Center
> Sponsored by Blue Moon
> RSVP by Friday, April 16th to www.rivercityprofessionals.org

Almost one quarter down for 2010! This month, RCP visits the new expansion at Mosaic for a fun evening of food and networking. Our March partner is Connections to Success, a community of programs working to realize a mission of empowering determined individuals with a plan and resources to achieve economic self-reliance. Hope to see you there!
 
The Details:
> Tuesday March 16th from 5:30 – 9:00 pm
> Mosaic – 1001 Washington Ave
> In partnership with Connections to Success
> Sponsored by Boulevard 
> RSVP by Friday, March 12th to www.rivercityprofessionals.org

We are making some changes to our technology! A special thanks goes out to Miken Technologies for their help in implementing a new email system! This is something that we have been struggling with for quite some time and Miken showed why they were voted Best IT Firm by Small Business Monthly with their professionalism and dedication to the community. Be sure and check them out at www.miken.net!

With the new system, we now have the capability of allowing members to maintain their own profiles (change email, update company info, etc.) as well as offer opportunities to recieve more targeted communications. We will, unfortunately, lose the ability to send personal reminders based on your RSVP status for a bit while we work to rewrite the RSVP system. Please be patient and let us know if you experience any bugs or have suggestions to improve our workflow.

Also, with new technology, comes new costs. In the past our operational expenses were either covered by in-kind donations, sponsor dollars or self funded. With the state of the economy, resources have become less available. Tony and I are committed to keep RCP membership and events free and look for creative ways to cover costs. With that, we are instituting a “Virtual Tip Jar” in order to help fund the new technology. If you find value in RCP, throw us a couple of dollars! There is no obligation or suggested amount, so consider donating today!

Thank you for your understanding and patience in our transition.

Another exciting new venue for RCP! This month we head Downtown to visit the brand new Lola on 14th street which promises to be the place to gather, socialize, and relax! Our partner for February is the Central Institute for the Deaf, whose mission is to teach children who are deaf and hard of hearing to listen, talk, read and succeed.
 
The Details:
> Tuesday February 16th from 5:30 – 9:00 pm
> Lola – 500 North 14th Street
> In partnership with Central Institute for the Deaf
> Sponsored by Boulevard Brewing Co, Miken Technologies & Windows 7
> RSVP by Friday, February 12th to www.rivercityprofessionals.org