We love to hear from you! Our readers are the fuel that keeps us going! Check out these reader compliments.

• "I am reader of several years. You have a fabulous page!!!  Springfieldmoms is one of the big positives on the internet.Thank you so much for your wonderful website and the time you take to do it. I check it at least twice a week, usually more.  Thanks again!"  Bridget Butterick

• "I just got the E-Update from SpringfieldMoms about the new Valentine’s Day Resources. Since I am planning the games and activities for my 3rd grader, I was thrilled to find all of the resources I needed in one place. Normally I try to do the research on my own (google different activity sites, blogs etc.) This saved me so much time – 5 minutes and I have a pile full of printables, how to make an origami heart & other game ideas. Thanks for the great resource!" Amy Peterson, Springfield.

• "My husband and I just moved to Springfield in December 2008 and now have a 6 month old daughter. Your website has been incredibly helpful for me being a new mom and a new resident of Springfield. Thank you for this great resource!" Danielle Costello, Springfield

• "Your website is soooo helpful. We use it all of the time : )" Tressa Hartman, Springfield

• "I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate www.springfieldmoms.org. My older daughter Abby just turned 9. Despite mulling it over all summer, we could not decide what to do for her birthday party. With time running tight, I remembered the Birthday Party Directory on Springfield Moms. Abby and I went over the list and got so many great ideas. We ended up picking Riverside Stables, and they were able to work us in for a party over Labor Day weekend. It was fantastic. I never would have thought of it if it were not for your website. It is a fabulous resource and difficult to maintain, I am sure. Keep up the good work!" Gail Noll.

• "Your current issue is so helpful. I have bookmarked two web sites you highlighted, the one on homework help and the one on movie ratings for kids. And I was so excited to see your discount for the Family Series at Sangamon Auditorium! Thank you for your hard work and very helpful web site." Tara McAndrew, Springfield.
• "This is one of the best moms' sites I've ever seen, and I love your E-Updates too." Sarahbeth Spasojevich, Springfield.
• "I look at your website at least twice a week to see what is happening. I love the information …it's a one-stop shop. Anything we need to know about events, vacations, coupons, or places to see is all there. We are all busy with our kids, so saving time is key!"  Jennnifer Jennings, Springfield
• I just added this website to my favorites. I love it. As a mother of four children I appreciate the coupons, free events, and garage sale listings. Keep up the great work!  Shanna Elliott, Rochester
• "As always, love the Springfield Moms!" Sarah Chandler, Springfield
• "I love coming to your website, practically everyday, just to see if there is something I missed!" Michelle Schiff, Springfield.
• "Keep up the great work! It's all very good information!" Rob Winchester, Springfield.
• "I found more information in one spot, than I had found in a month of looking on my own. It's information that every mom needs to know, but doesn't have the time to find on her own. Thank you so much for such a wonderful website." Michelle Schlag, Auburn.
• "I just added this website to my favorites. I love it.  As a mother of four children I appreciate the coupons, free events, and garage sale listings. Keep up the great work!"  Shanna, Springfield.
• "I would love to get your e-newsletter! Many years ago I was looking for something like this as I never seemed to know what was going on and always found out too late." Stephanie Newhouse, Springfield.
• "We moved to Springfield two months ago from Chicago. Many women have recommended your website! It is very informative." Julie Nathanson-Abrams, Springfield.
• "I love your website and newsletter! I have been receiving it for quite some time, and I appreciate all of the information that you can't find anywhere else! " Jennifer Snow, Sherman.
• "I was thrilled to see such an impressive website and that there is such support for moms and dads in the community." Dawn Abraham, relocating from North Carolina.
• "I just got your email update this morning and read the full newsletter before 8:45a.m. …. great issue, as always!" Lisa Barutcu, Rochester.
• "I had just moved to Springfield, and without the Springfield Moms website, I would have been lost….thank you!" Melissa Hostetter, Springfield.
• "Thanks for the last issue of Springfield Moms. The list of summer/day camps was great. You are providing a great service to Springfield, and we truly appreciate all your hard work and effort!" Jacqueline Shafer, Springfield.
• "What a great one stop 'shop' for Moms! Sometimes there is so much going on locally that you miss what is right under your nose, so it is nice to have a list of local events." Samantha Boston, Springfield.

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Our Advisory Board is comprised of area moms who volunteer their time to shape the content, feature development and overall outreach of Springfield Moms.

These moms represent a combination of full-time working, part-time or work at home moms who live in the greater Springfield area.

We are grateful for their time, energy and fantastic ideas that continue to help Springfield Moms better serve our community.

If you are interested in volunteering at any of our community events, contact us today!

• Kim Leistner is Founder and President of Springfield Moms. A former Acquisitions Editor, Regional Sales Manager and Consulting Editor for 13 years, Kim is now Senior Account manager for a major college textbook publisher managing seven college accounts in Central Illinois.  She manages all operations of Springfield Moms. From sponsorship sales, to event outreach, marketing and editorial, Kim keeps Springfield Moms on the go. She loves ballet, any quiet time alone and can't live without licorice and Coke Zero!  For the latest area happenings and home front experiences, check out Kim's Blog, updated every weekday.
• Suzanne Borland. Suzanne is mother to Drew and Jessica. She and husband Jim live in Springfield.  Suzanne is a Professor of Legal Studies at the University of Illinois at Springfield and teaches aerobics at FitClub.
• Maya Borski. Maya is mom to Graclyn and wife to Jeff. She works as a travel agent for Suzi Davis Travel. In her spare time (when she isn't traveling "for work"), she enjoys traveling with her family, being a "new" school mommy to Graclyn, scrapbooking and volunteering for Springfield Moms community events.
• Julie Kaiser. Julie loves being a Springfield (area) Mom. She co-captains "Team Kaiser" with husband Scott, and she keeps close track of a son and daughter among other duties. She also works part-time from home as a writer and editor for her freelance business, The Write Balance. The Kaiser family lives in Chatham.
• Allison Klint. Allison Klint is a happily married stay-at-home mom, i.e., a jack of all trades. In her past life, she worked as a CPA for twelve years. When not taking care of the mother load, she enjoys reading, biking, flower arranging and writing.
• Lindsey Lanter and her husband Adam and two sons, Simon and Elliot, live in Springfield.  Lindsey works part-time as a speech/language pathologist for SASED and is also overseeing nursery and preschool programs at Southside Christian Church.   At home, she enjoys reading, movies and performing Broadway favorites to an audience of two under 3 (and no one else!)
• Amy McFadden. Amy is a Springfield attorney and freelance writer. She and her husband Kevin have two children. Amy also serves on the Board of Directors for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois.
• Dawn Raycraft. Dawn works full-time as a computer analyst. Dawn is married to Jim, and when she is not working or updating the website, she is taking care of her two boys, Brice and Tanner.  She is known for her many talents including using a circular wood-saw, tackling complicated home improvement projects and staying current with the latest technology gadgets!
• Christina Robinson Race. Christina is the mother of a daughter and two sons. She is a Corporate Trainer and Special Events planner and alternates working from home with occasional work travel. She enjoys travel, snow skiing, cooking and volunteering.  She is also on the Springfield CERT Team (Community Emergency Response Team), and serves on the Our Savior Lutheran Church and School Board of Directors as the Chair of the Board of Public Relations and the Kidzeum Capital Campaign Board.
• Courtney Westlake.  Courtney has found the best of both worlds while being a work-at-home mom! Courtney is a U of I graduate with a journalism degree and now works as a freelance writer, editor and photographer. She is mom to Connor and wife to Evan, and also owns her own portrait studio, Westlake Photography, where she specializes in natural light photography of babies, children and families.
• Lisa Whelpley. Lisa is mother to Ethan and is married to Rodd. She works full-time as a fundraiser and teaches part-time, both at the University of Illinois Springfield. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, scrapbooking and traveling. The Whelpley family lives in Chatham with their dog Gretchen.

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May 12, 2010:

Press release here.

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Thank you to our readers, Jason Van Alstine, Amy Peterson and Tara McAndrew for sharing your testimonials for our new radio ads on WDBR and Abe!

Bob Parrish at Capitol Radio Group did a great job pulling these together.  You can listen to them here!  As always, we appreciate the grass roots enthusiasm you spread amongst your friends.

Springfieldmoms.org Radio Testimonial 1- Jason

Springfieldmoms.org Radio Testimonial 2- Amy

Springfieldmoms.org Radio Testimonial 3- Tara

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• What is Springfield Moms? Designed by Springfield Mom Kim Leistner in 2004, the free Springfield Moms website provides "grownups and their kids" within the Springfield area (and surrounding communities within a 60-mile range) with timely, family friendly information including: the latest events or activities, parenting resources, money saving coupons for families at restaurants and local businesses, Ask the Professional educational Q&As and so much more. Learn more in our Press Room. Get to know our Advisory Board on About Us. We are visited by anyone who has kids in their life … or who wants to enjoy the latest events and coupons from local businesses!

• What's the advantage if I register my email address with Springfield Moms? You don't have to register to enjoy the free resources – including our wildly popular What's Happening event calendar – available on the website. However, if you want to stay "in the know," you can register at no charge to receive our twice-monthly E-Updates direct to your inbox. These E-Updates contain helpful articles, upcoming activities and sales or coupon information. Interested? (We do not share your email address with anyone else.) Please register your name and email address here.

• I can't find what I am looking for. The best bet is to check our A-Z Resource Index of all resource pages. We feature new and updated resources on our blog and in our E-Updates as well, so there is always something new to discover! Don't forget our new Search feature which allows you to browse our website by subject. If you still can't find something, email us at springfieldmoms.org@gmail.com, and we will help you find the resource you need.

• We just moved here, and I want to connect with other moms online. What do you recommend? You may already have the resources to do so! You can search for Springfield Moms and find our community discussion boards on Facebook, MySpace and twitter. You can also post comments or questions directly to the website by visiting Kim's Blog. For more detailed information on how to access these social network sites and the guidelines we provide for appropriate content and use, go to "News & Networks" on the Springfield Moms navigation bar.

• What's the quickest way to access a targeted list of resources? Choose the blue Resources A-Z Index and you will see categories of all the "posts" (articles, resources, events or coupons) on our website. If you don't see what you like there, you can use the Search box in the upper left which will search keywords across all posts.

• How do I print a section of your website? One of the great new features of our "Extreme Website Makeover" is the ability to print off exactly which "posts" (articles, resources, events or coupons) you want in a single file. At the end of each "post," you will see an option to "Print" just the information in that post. You may also choose "Email" and share any posting on our website with a friends.

• The coupons are awesome! What's the fastest way to access them, and how do I print them? Choose the green Mom's Choice Coupons on the top navigation bar, then browse by business category or business name and select the ad you are interested in. Enjoy our Coupon Shortcut for a quick list of all sponsors with available coupons.   Simply review the ads you like. At the end of each sponsor ad is the option to Print or Email and share with a friend. Also, keep an eye out on the Dynamic Deals box on the home page: new special deals and sales will be highlighted there each week.

• How do I submit a class, activity or an event which is not already listed on SpringfieldMoms.org? Please send your event information to springfieldmoms.org@gmail.com or access our Submit your Event form on What's Happening.  We value your contribution and are always eager to expand our list. For those groups who are interested in purchasing actual advertising space on the website to promote their class, activity or event, please contact Kim Leistner via phone: 217-622-6966 or email Kim.
• How do I enter the prize drawings? Have a favorite recipe, day trip or special discount deal to share? How about time savers and lessons learned in parenting? All tips qualify you to be entered into our prize drawings, held monthly. To qualify, you must be a registered reader (meaning you have signed up for our free E-Updates) and you should send in a tip in any category of resources on our website. Have a photo of your family or pets for us to use on the website? That counts too! Email us at springfieldmoms.org@gmail.com today with your tips!  Visit Share Your Tips and Win!

• If I want to volunteer to help with Springfield Moms at an area event, who do I contact? We love to meet readers and recruit them to help us at community events. Come join us! Our marquee event is Halloween-at-the-Market each October, but you will also find us at events year round including: WSEC/PBS FunTime Station, Capitol Radio Group KidsFest, Safe Family Saturday with the American Red Cross, Taste of Downtown (Downtown Springfield, Inc. and Bicentennial Commission and First Night Springfield. Contact Kim Leistner at springfieldmoms.org@gmail.com and let her know you are available.

• How do I provide feedback to Springfield Moms? We so appreciate hearing from our readers! You can post comments on Kim's Blog or visit our discussion boards on Facebook, MySpace and twitter (Access links to all on our home page or News & Networks. If you have a question or comment that you'd prefer to keep one-to-one, please send us an email at springfieldmoms.org@gmail.com, and we will respond as soon as possible.

• How do I change my email address/profile or unsubscribe from the E-Updates? No problem. There is an opt-out link at the footer of every event email we send. All you need to do is to click on the opt-out link and you will be removed from our mailing list.

• How do I change my email address or my profile? When you receive your E-Update, scroll all the way to the bottom and click on "Update My Profile." There you can change your email address and profile information.

• How is Springfield Moms funded? We are able to keep the Springfield Moms website FREE to our readers because of the dedicated support of our local business sponsors. Their advertising revenue enables us to maintain our events calendar, upgrade our website design and staff community events with fun crafts and information packets. We remain thrilled at the support we have received from local businesses so that we can provide you with this website. View a list of all of our sponsors on the Mom's Choice Directory.

• How can I advertise on Springfield Moms? If you wish to take advantage of our reasonable rates and targeted packages to advertise with Springfield Moms, please contact us at springfieldmoms.org@gmail.com or cell phone:  217-622-6966. You can also learn more about our readers and review our business advantages by visiting  Advertise With Us in the A-Z Index.

• Please Review our
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Photo Release

• Have we missed something? Please email or contact us anytime! springfieldmoms.org@gmail.com.

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Connecting with our readers face to face brings our website to life. You will find Springfield Moms Staff and volunteers at events throughout the greater Springfield area providing area information to families, goodie bags, prize giveaways and FREE craft activities for kids.

Here's where you can find us: Family Safety Day with the American Red Cross, FunTime Station, KidsFest, First Night Springfield, Halloween at the Market, Taste of Downtown, Arts in the Park and much more.

Check out our snapshot gallery or What's Happening for more!

• Kids Health Check with St. John's Children's Hospital.  As part of our joint marketing on the weekly Kids Health Check feature, we are proud to be partners with St. John's Children's Hospital.  By offering weekly E-Updates to our readers, we better serve the community with timely information for the health and well-being of area families.  The billboard below helped advertise our commitment to the community: Here 4 Kids, Here 4 Families.

• American Red Cross, Springfield Chapter.  We exceeded our fundraising goal in 2008 and that meant the pig got a kiss! Peter Tosh from the American Red Cross accepted the check to raise funds for the Junior Heroes Campaign. Whether it is pitching in to help the Red Cross Junior Heroes campaign (and kissing a pig!) or recruiting volunteers to help staff information tables, we understand the heart of a community is what makes it precious to those there.

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For the latest, check out Kim's Blog updated every week day or follow Springfield Moms on facebook or twitter. You can reach Kim at springfieldmoms.org@gmail.com

Julie Kaiser serves as the Director of Editorial Content and Media Relations for Springfield Moms. She manages and edits the bi-monthly E-Updates, posts articles on the website, writes press releases and helps tailor marketing pieces. She also coordinates the Annual Reader Survey and manages our Press Room among other tasks. Julie can be reached at julie.springfieldmoms@gmail.com

Dawn Raycraft serves as What's Happening Co-Editor & Series Editor. Dawn is responsible for keeping the What's Happening Calendar up-to-date with the latest and greatest events for you and your family. She also manages our Snapshot Gallery and serves as Series Editor for select resources throughout the year.   She also assist with sponsor banner ads and graphics development.  Dawn can be reached at dawn.springfieldmoms@gmail.com

Christina Robinson Race serves as Senior Account Executive. Christina manages client sales of sponsorships at all levels and manages development of promotional strategies with each client. Christina can be reached at christina.springfieldmoms@gmail.com

Lisa Whelpley serves as What's Happening Co-Editor and Series Editor for various resources throughout the year.  Lisa keeps the What's Happening event calendar full of fun and interesting events for you and your family.  Lisa can be reached at lisa.springfieldmoms@gmail.com

Kari Thevenot serves as Virtual Assistant for Springfield Moms. She performs many "behind the scenes" roles such as maintaining contact information, writing articles as well as helping to keep the SpringfieldMoms.org website updated. Kari also owns Your Left Hand, and can be reached at thevenotk@gmail.com.

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Press Release: January 5, 2010.

Need info on a family friendly event … now? Tired of cutting out paper reminders or coupons and tacking them to the family bulletin board where they immediately go missing?

The 5th Annual Springfield Moms Reader Survey showed that the easily accessible What’s Happening Event Calendar continues to be the most popular resource on the Springfield Moms website followed closely by the Easy Print Coupon Feature and seasonal guides like HoliDaze, Summer Fun and Back to School.

“Eighty-two percent of our readers learned about the website through our booths at community events and word of mouth recommendations from friends and family,” says Kim Leistner, founder and president of Springfield Moms. “Although the website is technology based, the power of in person, mom to mom communication, continues to fuel our growth in readership and also the success of our local sponsors.”

Nearly 90% of readers utilize the What’s Happening Event Calendar with more than 50% of readers accessing the site through their PDAs. Even better, 56% forward event links to friends and family through the Springfield Moms Facebook Fan Page or email.

The Mom’s Choice Directory Easy Print Coupon Feature is popular as well with 85% of survey respondents either using the coupons or planning to redeem coupons from local businesses this year.

Below is a demographic snapshot of the Springfield Moms survey respondents.

•52% of survey takers live within a Springfield zip code. The remainder responded from towns within a 70-mile radius.

•51% of survey takers are between the ages of 31 and 40. 24% are 20 – 30, and 18% are between 41 and 50 years of age.

•57% of readers have a college degree or higher.

•52% work full-time, while 19% work part-time from either work or a home office. 19% are full-time stay-at-home moms.

“More than 565 readers shared their feedback with us, and several won valuable prizes from our local sponsors” says Little. “We were thrilled to learn that so many of our readers have heard about us through a recommendation, which shows we truly are the Go-To site for area ‘Grown-ups and Their Kids.’ With that in mind, we look forward to 2010 as we continue to update and develop content that local families have requested like Terrific Time Savers, Savvy Style and Travel Fun Guides.”

Survey prize sponsors can all be found on our Mom's Choice Directory and include: Kimberly Smoot Photography, UIS/Sangamon Auditorium, Knight’s Action Park, Children’s Discovery Museum in Normal, ShoeTopia, L. Chic and Babble Babywear.

A snapshot of reader comments within the survey includes the following:

“Just moved from Wisconsin and I would like to say that I have found your site very useful.”

“I am a brand new mom (I have a one month old and just starting to utilize the site – for me it is all a matter of finding time to visit!). I really like that there are local moms and resources available and hope to explore the site more and in time volunteer some time with your group.”

“I am a grandmother and plan to learn about events in Springfield that might appeal to my granddaughters and also ways to spend quality time with them. I am new to your website … I hope to utilize your website in the future and would be interested in volunteering my time.”

“I love the whole Springfield Moms concept. It has been very helpful to us, living outside of the city, and yet visiting often. The tips on where to go and what to expect are priceless.”

SpringfieldMoms.org recently celebrated its fifth year online and now welcomes more than 3,500 registered readers who receive bi-monthly E-Updates. The site averages more than 12,000 visitors and 8,000 unique hits each month. The website has grown in popularity each year, most recently being voted Best Local Website 2009 by the Illinois Times.

For more information about Springfield Moms and/or the survey results or to, please contact Kim Leistner Little at springfieldmoms.org@gmail or phone: 217-622-6966. Visit the website at www.springfieldmoms.org.

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SPRINGFIELD MOMS WEBSITE “FOR GROWN-UPS AND THEIR KIDS” CELEBRATES 5th YEAR ANNIVERSARY PROVIDING ONLINE RESOURCES TO AREA FAMILIES

Springfield, IL. – The Springfield Moms website (www.springfieldmoms.org) celebrates its 5th anniversary this month as the area’s premiere online resource for busy families on the go.

“This has been such a fun journey,” says Kim Little, Springfield Moms founder and president. “Springfield Moms started as a way for this hometown girl and new mom to share parenting information with my friends and family, just a single email to 30 moms. Today the website averages more than 12,000 visitors (6,500 unique) viewing more than 155,000 pages every month. We feel privileged to serve as a free online information resource 24/7 for thousands of area families and people moving into our community.”

Initially the parenting resources focused on new moms with infants through preschoolers. Now the website provides resources for families with kids of all ages, from tot to teen.

"Our intention is to provide resources and events from birth through college,” Little says. “Families are growing up with our website, and we want to help them at every stage in that process."

For the second consecutive year, Springfield Moms won the popular vote for Best Local Blog/Website for The Illinois Times Best of 2009 awards. The website has also finished “runner-up” for Best Local Website two years running for the State Journal-Register’s Reader’s Choice Awards.

Springfield Moms continues to reach out to readers via popular social networks like Facebook and Twitter, which have been given prominent space on the home page. Interested readers can catch the latest posts, event reminders and new coupons from Springfield Moms through their favorite social network sites. They can even answer a weekly poll question for the “What Do You Think?” box and follow the responses.

“Our goal is to reach our readers where they spend the most time online so we can showcase our resources and sponsors,” Little says. “Many people check their Facebook pages throughout the day or catch the latest Kim’s Blog ‘Tweets’ through Twitter. Plus, through us, business sponsors can capitalize on the latest online methods to connect with their potential customers.”

Founded in November 2004, SpringfieldMoms.org offers parents and caregivers current information including a What’s Happening Event Calendar, an A-Z Index of family resources, Dynamic Deals that includes a Kids Eat Free Guide, money saving coupons through the Mom’s Choice Directory, holiday guides and much more.

"I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate www.springfieldmoms.org,” emailed reader Gail Noll. “My older daughter just turned 9. Despite mulling it over all summer, we could not decide what to do for her birthday party. With time running tight, I remembered the Birthday Party Directory on Springfield Moms. We went over the list and got so many great ideas. It is a fabulous resource and difficult to maintain, I am sure. Keep up the good work!"

Business sponsorships for the website have more than tripled in the past year. Little anticipates even higher advertising growth as Springfield Moms continues to offer a targeted marketing approach for local area businesses in a cost-effective and high-visibility way. Even out-of-town attractions have taken notice and purchased advertising packages.

Website visitors can sign up for free E-Updates, sent twice monthly with the latest events, helpful articles (including the popular Ask the Professional series) and money saving deals. Visit the Springfield Moms website at www.springfieldmoms.org.   ###

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BEST LOCAL BLOG/WEBSITE 2009

We were more than thrilled to repeat this award in 2009.  Thank you Illinois Times, our readers and all who voted!    View the full results of the Best of 2009.

SpringfieldMoms.org

Founder Kim Leistner Little will celebrate the fifth anniversary of SpringfieldMoms.org this November. Her initial newsletter sent to 30 friends at the start has grown to a thriving enterprise that draws 10,000 hits a month. “The intention is for people to get with us when they’re pregnant and stay with us,” she explains. “When we started we focused on kids from birth to pre-school, but now we’re from birth to college; most from birth to age 13. The page was redesigned since readers voted it Best Blog in 2008. Among the additions, a “Mom’s Faves” page, Featured Events listed at the home page, a What Do You Think? poll, and coupons aplenty. From a one-woman show, Kim has added four paid staffers and a volunteer advisory board. Plans to franchise SpringfieldMoms.org are in the works.

Capitol Fax Blog and Blog Free Springfield finished second and third in the voting.

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