Coates Kokes

Sexually transmitted infections are on the rise throughout southwest Oregon. In response, End HIV Oregon and HIV Alliance recently reissued a rural campaign to encourage people in those areas to get tested for HIV and other infections, and to take preventative measures like using condoms and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The News-Review recently wrote a story about the campaign, check it out here: https://bit.ly/4gPgeYv

It can be a tough subject to talk about, but suicide is a significant issue in Oregon. September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and we've been working with Trillium Family Services to create materials and support their “Creating Hope for Brighter Tomorrows” campaign that focuses on building brighter futures for children, families and communities. You can share a note of encouragement with their staff or youth in their care, donate, or learn more about how you can make a difference by visiting https://lnkd.in/grBiWA9n

Did you know that the screening age for colorectal cancer was recently lowered from 50 to 45? And that there are different risk levels depending on who you are? Erin and Anri recently assisted the Oregon Health Authority with streamlining their colorectal cancer website. In Oregon, it's the fourth most common type of cancer diagnosed and the fourth leading cause of cancer death. The site goes over why screening is important, what the symptoms are, and more — check it out at thecanceryoucanprevent.org

Last week, Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties came together for a "Sip Smarter" community event to address the harms of excessive alcohol use in the tri-county region. Anri took to the stage to speak about Rethink The Drink and Lance helped coordinate news interviews about the event — read more here: https://bit.ly/4fN18lA

Have you been watching the athletes in Paris these last two weeks? In our latest blog, Sue shares some inspiring insights we can all learn from them, and the importance of maintaining a level playing field for the benefit of all: https://bit.ly/4dzGzHz

There were two special guests in our office this week! Jade Eckrich and Mason Cruz are from the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication, and we had the pleasure of showing them what CK is all about, as well as the kind of work we do for our clients. We appreciate them stopping by to shadow us, and wish them the best in their future public relations careers!

Every month, our team leads monthly trainings on equity, environmental justice and social issues in our "Food for Thought" series. It's a chance for us to come together and share what we've learned from other presentations outside of the agency, or to talk more about a topic relevant to our work, all while enjoying a delicious lunch. This week, we checked out Join or Die Film, a movie about America's civic unraveling, the decline of our communities, and how joining a club may be the solution to our democracy's present crisis. Given the current political climate, it's important now more than ever to come together and have these kinds of discussions with each other — if you're part of an organization, or just want to watch it with other people in your community, you can request a screening at www.joinordiefilm.com.

At CK, we use our talents and efforts to do good in our communities. We’re looking for a graphic designer with strong illustration skills to join our creative team and help us bring visions to life for our clients in the cause and non-profit segments. Interested in working with us? Learn more about the position at coateskokes.com/careers.

Many of us have been affected in some way by the fentanyl crisis unfolding across the nation. In our newest blog, Erin talks about how the Expect Fentanyl campaign was an integral part of Portland's 90-day emergency declaration, and how we connected with teens to create meaningful messaging that spoke to their various experiences with overdoses. https://bit.ly/3xOAwPY

Our "Here and There" spot for Rethink the Drink won silver in the Best Small Budget Single Video category at ThinkNW's 2024 Cascadia Creative Awards last night! Thank you so much to Chapin, Anri and the rest of the crew who worked so hard to bring this message to life!