A member of the Event Planning Forum recently asked for advice about event planning salaries. I thought that I'd highlight this question for blog readers and encourage you to provide your thoughts about the range of salaries in the profession.

I have previously published information about event planning salaries, and will update this and more salary information this summer. In the meantime, what are your thoughts about salaries in the field? Please respond in the forum!

Now, I'd like to encourage readers to sign up for the weekly Event Planning Newsletter, which highlights recently posted items that I hope will interest you. My goal is to identify various themes each week and month that may interest anyone involved in corporate, association, nonprofit and social event and meeting planning. Recent newsletters have highlighted themed content around business etiquette, airline transportation, fundraising walks and more. Some weeks we highlight a range of resources useful for event planners or a current event that's happening in the industry. I hope you agree that this is a good read.

If you haven't already done so, please sign up for the Event Planning Newsletter here! Thanks.

Interested in establishing a community walk or race as a fundraising idea for your cause? Corporate sponsors will play an important role in helping to ensure a successful event, and special event planners understand this. In fact, corporate sponsors should help raise enough money to cover the cost of your event so that the money raised by participants may be used exclusively for the cause. Learn more about what event sposnorship categories you should include when planning your fundraising event.

Every weekend from April through September it seems that there is a fundraising walk or race scheduled somewhere. That's because many people enjoy spending their time outdoors, and it's a healthy activity at the same time.

Nonprofit event planners recognize that community walks or races serve as an excellent oppportunity to raise awareness for their cause while while raising money at the same time. But there's a lot of work to organizing the walk, securing corporate sponsors, establishing walking teams, and gaining the community support.

The Y-ME Breast Cancer Organization has been hosting its annual walk/race each year on Mother's DAy since 1991 in Chicago, and has expanded it to 15 cities by 2008. Their efforts serve as a nice best practice for others who either plan fundraising walks or may be considering this type of event. Read more.

Photo Courtesy of Y-ME Breast Cancer Organization

Event planners organize a full range of special events throughout the country, and holidays offer a particularly great opportunity to create community events. This year is the 17th year for the Y-ME Breast Cancer Organization's "Walk to Empower" Mother's Day Events. Liz Klug, director of special events for Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization in Chicago, oversees the walks which raised more than $7.2 million in 2007. This year, more than 50,000 people in 15 cities are expected to participate in this event before heading to their yearly favorite brunch.

Graphic: Courtesy of Y-ME Breast Cancer Organization.

Whether you're planning a business trip for an executive retreat or incentive trip, or if you're planning a social trip for group getaway or destination wedding, one thing is consistent: spa treatments will be part of the agenda.

Event and meeting planners are expected to incorporate and include time in the schedule for these personal indulgences. Learn more about the most popular spa treatments.

The purpose of the web has been evolving over time, and a variety of social media has been created in the last couple of years. I've glanced at a variety of sites out there, and feel that it would be nice to create an active community of special event planners, meeting planners, and corporate event planners who feel comfortable with asking opinions of their colleagues in the profession - or even to promote your event planning successes! I also invite event planning suppliers join in the discussion.

I'd like to encourage everone to contribute to our event planning forum. This includes event professionals throughout North America, Europe and elsewhere to think of this discussion board as their online meet up. Yes, there's definitely a lot of value gained through local, national and international contacts and perspectives. And I hope that everyone will view this board as an open forum to help each other with every aspect of the job. Feel free to ask or answer questions about topics and issues that face us every day:

• Planning meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions.
• Planning cocktail receptions, galas and community events.
• Planning weddings, reunions, anniversary parties and other celebrations.
• Working with a variety of venues and destinations in your city or elsewhere.
• Managing event production, entertainment and speakers.
• Coordinating transportation and lodging.
• Choosing client gifts.
• Managing your career, starting an event business and more.

My goal is to make this site a fantastic resource for corporate, association, non-profit, government and social event planners and administrative staff who plan events and meetings as part of their job.

I will also participate in the forum discussions with you, and work to make sure that this a respectable and reliable site for a free expression of ideas. Please help me spread this message and post frequently. Thanks for helping to become the best online community of event planners on the web!

The Ryder Cup is scheduled once every two years, and corporate meeting planners, marketers, sales executives and others have probably been contacted by numerous sports marketing firms to present a variety of options for hospitality.

The PGA has oversees hospitality on site, and has developed 2008 Ryder Cup All-Inclusive Packges creates official hospitality on course. Many packages are already sold out, but for a price tag of between $3,000 and $4,000, hospitality packages will include the following elements:

• Four or five nights accommodations
• Breakfast daily
• Ryder Cup ticket (Thursday-Sunday
• Ground transportation
• Client gift, taxes and an evening reception

Airline quality ratings are important to event planners because the high cost of airline travel accounts for a sizable portion of the total cost to produce incentive and other destination events. Unfortunately, the airline industry satisfaction rates continue to decline.

Air Tran, Jet Blue and Southwest ranked as the top 3 in the satisfaction report, while popular business airline carriers United Airlines and American Airlines continued to rank in the bottom half. And American’s regional carrier American Eagle ranked #15 out 16.

And American’s recent unfavorable prominence in the news probably won’t help the airline’s rating next year. But it’s important for meeting and event planners to note that only 68.7% of flights arrived on time, and mishandled baggage increased to 7.25 per 1,000 passengers. American Eagle’s performance for on-time arrivals in 2006 dropped to 69.1% and mishandled baggage was 13.55 per 1,000 passengers in 2007.

Learn more about how your preferred airlines ranked in 2007.