Mayor Fenty Declares 'National Press Club Day' in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, April 4, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Mayor Adrian Fenty of the District of Columbia today declared Saturday, April 5, to be "National Press Club Day" throughout Washington, D.C. The Club, founded in 1908, is celebrating its Centennial this year. The Club will mark the Centennial with a Gala celebration on Saturday night.

The Mayor read an official proclamation from the city at a crowded news conference at the Press Club today and received a warm ovation upon announcing the news.

National Press Club President Sylvia Smith welcomed the Mayor and discussed the important relationship between the city and the Club. Smith also showed photographs of the Club during key points in Club history.

Founded in 1908 as a place for reporters to play cards and have a drink after hours, the Press Club has grown to become the world's leading organization for journalists. With more than 3,700 members worldwide, the Club hosts more than 2,000 events each year and receives more than 250,000 guests, including heads of state, leaders of government, and leaders in business, sports and entertainment.

The Club provides professional development opportunities for journalists, including training, research and panel discussions with industry leaders as well as mentoring, scholarships and fellowship programs.

The Club is a $13 million a year business with a professional staff of more than 100 full-time employees. The Club staff provides news conference, meeting and banquet services to hundreds of organizations, including associations, corporations, law firms, non-profits and government agencies.

NATIONAL PRESS CLUB DAY
APRIL 5, 2OO8

WHEREAS, for 100 years the National Press Club (the Club) has made its home in the District of Columbia, and during that time has drawn world leaders including presidents, prime ministers and kings (including Dr. Martin Luther King), to its podium; and

WHEREAS, since 1908 the Club has been the place where the public and the press meet and has grown to host nearly 2,000 events each year, including hundreds of news conferences, speeches and forums that provide content for thousands of news organizations every day; and

WHEREAS, the Club's 3,700 members count among their ranks leading professionals in the fields of journalism and public relations who represent nearly every state in the nation and hundreds of countries and span the range of experience from young members to industry veterans; and

WHEREAS, the Club supports and honors the past and tradition of journalism through its professional archives, current journalism through the professional development activities of the Eric Friedheim National Journalism Library and the future of journalism through its scholarship program that has helped students graduate from college and embark upon careers in journalism:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, THE MAYOR OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, do hereby proclaim April 5, 2008, as "National Press Club Day" in Washington, DC.

Editors Note: For more information about the National Press Club and its
Centennial visit the NPC website and go to our Centennial
page, or call the contacts above. Photos of the Mayor's news conference are
posted on the NPC blog. For video related to the Mayor's news conference
contact the NPC broadcast operations center at 202-662-7510. Journalists
wishing to cover that National Press Club gala on Saturday night must arrange
to do so in advance by calling the contacts above.
First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: National Press Club

CONTACT: Bill McCarren, +1-202-662-7534, or Melinda Cooke,
+1-202-662-7516, both of National Press Club

Web Site: http://www.press.org/

2008-04-04 15:50:00 0328639 PRNEWSWIRE