Karen Gaffney “Tahoe Challenge”
MEDIA RELATIONS and PUBLIC AWARENESS
CHALLENGE
Raise Awareness About the Abilities of People with Down Syndrome and Show that People with Down Syndrome are “More Alike Than Different”
Perry Communications Group was contacted by a local nonprofit group, the Down Syndrome Information Alliance (DSIA) to promote a swim across Lake Tahoe by a woman with Down syndrome to local media, with the goal of increasing awareness throughout the community about the abilities of people with Down syndrome. Karen Gaffney’s 12-mile swim across Lake Tahoe would take six to nine hours to complete, and media would have to travel from Reno and Sacramento to cover the story, one to two hours away from their offices in many cases. Knowing these challenges, Perry Communications Group saw the importance of this story and recognized that this was an opportunity to show the community that people with Down syndrome are “More Alike Than Different.”
SOLUTION
Position the “Tahoe Challenge” as a Public Interest Story, Showing the Abilities of People with Down Syndrome
Perry Communications Group went to work immediately and began drafting media materials and developing a media list to reach out to outlets in the Sacramento, Reno and Tahoe areas. With slightly more than a weeks notice before the event Perry Communications Group had confirmed interviews and stories with Karen, her family and DSIA staff for KCRA-TV (NBC), KOVR-TV (CBS), KMAX-TV (CW), KFBK-AM, The Sacramento Bee and other newspapers and television station.
RESULTS
More than 140 Television Stations from Throughout the United States Aired the Story, Including CNN, CBS Evening News and NBC’s Today Show
- Millions of television viewers from across the United States saw Karen Gaffney’s story of triumph and courage as she swam across Lake Tahoe. KMAX-TV’s (CW) “Good Day Sacramento” aired stories from a boat set up to broadcast live from the middle of the Lake throughout the morning.
- KXTV-TV (ABC)’s “Sacramento & Company” and KFBK-AM interviewed Karen Gaffney prior to her swim.
- The Sacramento Bee, The Oregonian (based in Gaffney’s hometown of Portland, OR), The Sierra Sun, The North Lake Tahoe Bonanza, Reno Gazette Journal, Nevada Appeal, Tahoe Daily Tribune and numerous other papers wrote stories and published photographs of Karen’s swim.
- Blogs and YouTube also followed the Karen Gaffney story closely, with at least 13 blogs posting news stories, comments and words of inspiration about the swim.
- The Ellen DeGeneres show called DSIA as a result of the Perry Communications Group release.
- The DSIA saw an increase in calls from local families and professionals about their services and activities. Additionally, the DSIA received calls from Miami and Atlanta for information about the group and about Down syndrome.
