Family Promise

of Bryan College Station

Public Relations Plan

Fall 2017

Presented by
 Table of Contents

About 2

Objectives and Key Messages 3

Target Audiences 4

Target Media 5 - 6

Events 7 - 15
Comfort Food Cookoff 7 - 10
Open House 11 - 14
Volunteer Banquet 15

Social Media 16 - 22
Content Calendar 17-22

Contacts 23 - 24

Final Recomendations 25 - 28

1
About

About AGCJ PR

AGCJ PR Team’s goal is to effectively draw positive attention to Family Promise and their mission.
We seek to build long-term relationships between Family Promise and members of the Bryan College
Station community through community events, social media tactics and other recommendations based
upon the specific needs of the organization and their audience.

Family Promise Situation Analysis

Family Promise of Bryan College Station recently began construction on a new facility at Hope’s
Crossing. The construction of this new facility will allow Family Promise to better cater to the needs of their
guests so that they may stay comfortably within the facility while they progress through the program.

Family Promise hopes to grow their volunteer and donation base within the Bryan College Station
community to meet the needs brought on by completion of the new facility.

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 Objectives and Key Messages

Objectives

The goals of this public relations plan include but are not limited to:

• Create and Maintain a positive image of Family Promise within the Bryan College Station community,

• Raise awareness for Family Promise and their mission,

• Expand Family Promise’s volunteer bank to cover a full year,

• Increase monetary and food donations from local businesses,

• Create relationships with local television stations, newspapers and other media outlets.

Key Messages

The key messages Family Promise should communicate to their audience include:

• Family Promise’s focus is helping families achieve sustainable independence.

• Family Promise prioritizes maintaining the family unit.

• Family Promise values faith, family and a bright future.

Being mindful of these key messages when sharing information with the public will allow Family
Promise to communicate their goals and mission in a consistent, effective manner.

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Target Audiences

Primary Audience
Family Promise’s primary audience includes church groups and adult service organizations within
the Bryan College Station community. These organizations will volunteer with Family Promise in various
ways, from assisting with meal time activities to spending a night in the Family Promise facility.

Members of these organizations include established couples and individuals who can devote an
entire evening or night to volunteering with Family Promise. This audience consists of men and women
aged 30 to 65 years old. They mostly belong to the middle class, and have careers that do not hinder them
from volunteering in the evening.

The values of this audience align with Family Promise’s values of faith, family and selfless service.

Secondary Audience
Family Promise’s secondary audience consists of local businesses and organizations that will
make donations to Family Promise. Donations can be monetary or need-based. Potential donors include
restaurants that can donate food, contractors that can donate construction materials that will contribute to
the completion of Hope’s Crossing and other local organizations that are looking to help Family Promise
achieve their mission.

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 Target Media

Newspapers
The Bryan Eagle
www.theeagle.com
1729 Briarcrest Drive
Bryan, TX 77802
979-776-4444
circulation@theeagle.com

The Battalion
www.thebatt.com
Texas A&M University, TAMU 1111
College Station, TX 77843
979-845-2613
editor@thebatt.com

Maroon Weekly
www.maroonweekly.com
P.O. Box 15169
College Station, TX 77841
979-574-3200
Advertisements: chris@maroonweekly.com
Media coverage: shelbi@maroonweekly.com

Magazines
Insite Magazine
www.insitebrazosvalley.com
979-823-5567
Angelique@InsiteBrazosValley.com

Brazos Life Magazine - a division of Bryan Broadcasting

www.brazoslife.com/magazine/
2700 Earl Rudder Fwy. Suite 5000
College Station, TX 77845
979-695-9595
katy@candy95.com

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Target Media

Television
KRHD TV
1716 Briarcrest Dr. #604,
Bryan, TX 77802
www.kxxv.com
(979) 691-5743

KAGS-HD
2800 Texas Ave.
Bryan, TX 77802
www.kagstv.com
(979) 703-8404

KBTX-TV
4141 E 29th St.
Bryan, TX 77802
www.kbtx.com
(979) 846-7777

Radio
Bryan Broadcasting
• Candy 95
• Maverick 100.9
• Willy 97.7
• Zone 1150
• WTAW 1620
news@wtaw.com
• Peace 107:7
• Peace 101.3
www.bryanbroadcasting.com
2700 Earl Rudder Fwy. Suite 5000
College Station, TX 77845
979-695-9595
radio@bryanbroadcasting.com

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 Comfort Food Cookoff

About
The Comfort Food Cook-Off is an annual fundraising event benefiting Family Promise of Bryan
College Station. Organizations and individuals from around the Bryan College Station community sign up
to cook various comfort food dishes, then enter those dishes in a taste test contest. The event will take place
January 27 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the A&M Church of Christ in College Station. Tickets for the event
are $20.00 for adults and $5.00 for children 12 and under, and can be purchased at area churches and the
Family Promise Day Center.

This event will benefit Family Promise in two ways. Family Promise will receive 100 percent of the
proceeds from team registration and tickets sold, providing the organization with much needed funds for
everyday expenses and needs. This event will also raise awareness for Family Promise’s mission and goals,
as well as provide the organization with an opportunity to educate the public on volunteer and donation
opportunities.

To raise awareness for this event and Family Promise, the Comfort Food Cookoff will be promoted
via press releases sent to local newspapers and television stations, Family Promise’s Facebook page and flyers
distributed in churches and other locations around Bryan and College Station. These promotional measures
are designed to reach Family Promise’s primary and secondary audiences.

Event Logistics
Budget
The purpose of this event is to raise money to benefit Family Promise; therefore, it is important that
the costs associated with this event remain as low as possible. Fortunately, many of the components of this
event are provided on a volunteer basis.
The budget for this event is $500.00. This should cover materials such as plates, cups, napkins,
cutlery and other essentials, as well as printing costs for flyers.

Venue
As in years past, the event will be held at the A&M Church of Christ. This venue is ideal in that
it aligns with Family Promise’s values and beliefs, and allows adequate room for parking and set up. The
church allows Family Promise to use their tables, chairs, etc. The venue also offers ample parking for the
event.

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Comfort Food Cookoff

Event Logistics

Food and Set Up

Food for the event is prepared off-site by teams who have registered for the event. Teams are asked
to begin setting up by 5:30 p.m. Each team is provided with one table, which they can decorate as they
please. Each team is asked to provide enough food to serve at least 300 people.

Entertainment
To provide attendees with entertainment, a bluegrass band will perform at the event. Because of
limited budget, the band will perform on a volunteer basis; however, performing at the event will provide
the band with free exposure.
In addition, Family Promise is encouraged to seek donations from local businesses for silent auction
items. Although a silent auction is not necessary to the success of the event, it will provide an extra incentive
for guests to attend the event and stay until the winners are announced.

Promotion
ewspapers and Television
N
Family Promise’s target audience, adults aged 30 to 65 years of age, is very receptive to content
in newspapers and on television. Submitting press releases to news outlets in the Bryan College Station
community will increase media interest in the event, and encourage these news organizations to organically
promote and cover the event. This tactic is completely free of charge, and therefore will not hinder the
budget for this event.
A list of potential news outlets can be accessed in the Target Media section on pages five and six.

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 Sample Press Release

Family Promise of Bryan College Station

1401 West Martin Luther King Junior St #202,
Bryan, TX 77802
(979) 268-4309
MONTH/DAY/YEAR FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Annual Comfort Food Cookoff to take place January 27, 2018

BRYAN, TEXAS - Family Promise of Bryan College Station will host their annual Comfort Food Cookoff
January 27, 2018 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the A&M Church of Christ in College Station.

This event features food and fun for the whole family. Booths featuring various comfort food dishes will be set up
for guests to browse and enjoy. At the end of the night, a panel of judges will taste test each dish, and award their
chosen winners. Bluegrass band (Bluegrass band name here) will perform live at the event, and a silent auction
featuring gifts from (donor names here) will take place throughout the evening.

Tickets for the event can be purchased at local churches or the Family Promise Day Center, located at 1401 West
Martin Luther King Junior Street in Bryan.

Organizations and individuals from the Bryan College Station community are invited to participate in the
cookoff. Participants are asked to prepare food for approximately 300 guests in an off-site facility. Interested
parties can register by emailing Laurel Lancaster at laurellanc@gmail.com. Registration costs $35.00 per entry.

Family Promise, a national organization dedicated to helping families in need, seeks to enrich the Bryan
College Station community by providing a safe place for homeless families to stay while they regain financial
independence. All proceeds from this event will benefit Family Promise and their mission.

For more information on the Comfort Food Cookoff, please visit the event Facebook page at (insert Facebook
page link here.)

###

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 Comfort Food Cookoff

Flyers

Flyers will be distributed at local churches, restaurants, grocery stores and other high-traffic areas.
These flyers should be printed on standard letter-sized paper, and will ideally be printed in color, budget
permitting. Churches and businesses should be contacted to confirm that flyers can be posted.

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 Open House

About
Upon the grand opening of the new facility at Hope’s Crossing, an open house event will be held to
encourage people to volunteer. Volunteer organizations from around the Bryan College Station community
will be contacted to participate in the event.
Each participating organization will be assigned a room within the Family Promise facility. Within
their designated room, each organization will set up a booth from which they will pass out information
along with other items of their choosing to guests from the community.
This event will showcase the new facility and raise awareness for Family Promise. The event will be
promoted via press releases sent to local newspapers and television stations, Family Promise’s Facebook
page and flyers distributed in churches and other locations around Bryan and College Station. These
promotional measures are designed to reach Family Promise’s primary and secondary audiences.

Event Logistics

Budget
The Open House event is meant to promote Family Promise and encourage people to volunteer.
Existing volunteer groups will set up their own tables and should come with their own supplies.
Family Promise should set up a table where the visitors will first walk through. At the table, there
should be information on the different volunteer levels, a take home souvenir and a sign-in sheet. The take
home needs to be either pens with the Family Promise logo, koozies with the logo or any other small item
with the Family Promise logo.
To keep the event as low cost as possible, the budget should consist of flyers, printed volunteer
information sheet and the Family Promise souvenir. The budget will be $200 or less.

Venue
The event will be held at Hope’s Crossing. To keep the privacy of current tenants, the event should be
held during a time that the tenants have the opportunity to leave.
Volunteer booths will be at the entrance of rooms, but should not disturb the tenants belongings.

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Open House

Promotion

Newspapers and Television

Family Promise’s target audience, adults aged 30 to 65 years of age, is very receptive to content
in newspapers and on television. Submitting press releases to news outlets in the Bryan College Station
community will increase media interest in the event, and encourage these news organizations to organically
promote and cover the event. This tactic is completely free of charge, and therefore will not hinder the
budget for this event.
A list of potential news outlets can be accessed in the Target Media section on pages five and six.

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 Sample Press Release

Family Promise of Bryan College Station

1401 West Martin Luther King Junior St #202,
Bryan, TX 77802
(979) 268-4309
MONTH/DAY/YEAR FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Family Promise Open House

BRYAN, TEXAS - Family Promise of Bryan College Station will host an Open House event to showcase their
new facility, Hope’s Crossing on [INSERT DATE]

This event features current volunteer groups throughout the facility and hopes to encourage more people to
volunteer. Booths featuring current volunteer groups from around Bryan/College Station will have information
and goodies to pass out. Visitors are welcome and encouraged to walk around and learn more about Family
Promise.

The event is free and is open to the public including organizations and individuals from the Bryan College
Station community.

Family Promise, a national organization dedicated to helping families in need, seeks to enrich the Bryan
College Station community by providing a safe place for homeless families to stay while they regain financial
independence. All proceeds from this event will benefit Family Promise and their mission.

For more information on the Open House, please visit the event Facebook page at (insert Facebook page link
here.)

###

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Open House

Flyer

Flyers will be distributed at local churches, restaurants, grocery stores

and other high-traffic areas. These flyers should be printed on standard letter-
sized paper, and will ideally be printed in color, budget permitting. Churches and
businesses should be contacted to confirm that flyers can be posted.

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 Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon

About

The Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon would take place during Volunteer Appreciation Week on
Friday, April 20, 2018 from 11a.m. to 2 p.m.. This luncheon would be a potluck where each person brings
their favorite dish while the staff of Family Promise gives the volunteers of FP a chance to be served instead
of serve and to show them how much they are truly appreciated.
To show appreciation for volunteers, give volunteers an incentive, and give volunteers a chance
to mingle with other volunteers and staff of FP. The luncheon would bring in more volunteers to FP and
persuade them to come to volunteer and to keep coming.

Event Logistics

The staff and board members of Family Promise will host the event to show appreciation for the
community of volunteers.
This event will cost Family Promise very minimal. Family Promise should provide plates, plastic
wear, cups and refreshments. All food will be brought in by the volunteers and staff.
Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon will be held at Hope’s Crossing.

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Social Media

Facebook

Family Promise already has a strong following on Facebook; therefore we recommend continuing
the use of the platform on a regular basis.
The use of Facebook provides Family Promise with a simple, cost-effective way to keep the primary
audience informed on current events happening within the organization. Regular posts allow Family
Promise to keep the organization fresh in the minds of current and potential volunteers. By engaging with
followers via comments and direct message, Family Promise can create a greater sense of accessibility and
trasparency among the primary audience.
Attached to this plan is a content calendar, complete with six months of planned content. This
content includes posts for holidays, major community events and Family Promise specific events and
themes. This calendar is meant to serve as a guideline for the months ahead, and a learning tool as Family
Promise moves forward and begins generating content independently.

Canva

Canva is an extremely useful tool when generating social media content and other promotional
materials such as flyers. The tool is offered free of charge at www.canva.com, and is recommended for use
when creating all Family Promise promotional materials.
Canva is equipped with a number of attractive pre-made layouts, but users are alos given the
opportunity to get creative with their own designs. The software comes with a number of preset sizes and
shapes to fit the intended use of the design, so the user does not have to concern themselves with whether
or not the design will fit.

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 Content Calendar

January 2018

January 1: New Year’s Day

We here at Family Promise wish you all a happy and healthy New Year!

January 9: National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day

On National Law Enforcement Day and every day, Family Promise says thank you to all the men and
women in the law enforcement who risk their lives to keep us safe.

January 15: Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

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Content Calendar

January 2018

January 22: Promote Comfort Food Cookoff

Looking for a fun family activity? Come join us on Friday and participate in our Comfort Food
Cookoff benefiting Family Promise!

January 24: Promote Comfort Food Cookoff

Don’t forget about our annual Comfort Food Cookoff this Friday January 26! Come try all of the
yummy foods and help support Family Promise

January 26: Promote Comfort Food Cookoff

Today is the day! Please come out and help support Family Promise by participating in our annual
Comfort Food Cookoff! There will be plenty of yummy goodies for the whole family

Suggestion: Throughout the day, post pictures of participants and families at the event. Give updates
n the Facebook page as the day goes on to encourage other members of the community to
participate.

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 Content Calendar

February 2018

February 2: Groundhog Day

Happy Groundhog Day! Do you think Phil will see his shadow? Comment below with your
prediction!

February 4: Superbowl Sunday

It’s Super Bowl Sunday! Who do you think will win?
Create a poll in which Facebook followers can vote for their favorite team

Congratulations to the *insert team here*!

Post after the game with the name of the winner

February 13: Mardi Gras

Eat like a king today; it’s Mardi Gras!

February 14: Valentine’s Day

We LOVE all of our followers! Happy Valentines Day!

February 19: President’s Day

Happy President’s Day!

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Content Calendar

March 2018

March 11: Daylight Savings Time Begins

Don’t forget to spring forward tonight!”

March 19: St. Patrick’s Day

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Don’t forget to wear green!

April 2018

April 1: April Fool’s Day and Easter

This isn’t a joke! Happy Easter!

April 15-21: National Volunteer Week

Post pictures of the different volunteer opportunities Family Promise offers each day to promote
volunteerism throughout the week

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 Content Calendar

April 2018

April 20: Volunteer Banquet

Today we held our first annual Family Promise Volunteer Banquet! We are so grateful for the hard
work and dedication this group puts forth. We couldn’t do it without you!

Suggestion: Post a picture of volunteers gathered around the table at the banquet

April 22: Earth Day

Happy Earth Day!

May 2018

May 5: Cinco De Mayo

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

May 13: Mother’s Day

At Family Promise, we understand that there is nothing quite like a mother’s love. Happy Mother’s
Day everyone!

Suggestion: Post a picture of mothers that volunteer at Family Promise

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Content Calendar

May 2018

May 19: Armed Services Day

May 28: Memorial Day

We all know a hero. Today, we encourage you to join us in showing our appreciation for America’s
heroes by recognizing your hero in the comments below. #whosyourhero

June 2018

June 17: Father’s Day

Happy Father’s Day, guys! We are so thankful for you!

Suggestion: Post a photo of fathers who volunteer at Family Promise

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 Contacts

Restaurants

J Cody’s
3610 S College Ave, Bryan, TX 77801
http://jcodys.com/contactuslocation
(979) 846-2639J.

Must Be Heaven
136 E Villa Maria Rd, Bryan, TX 77802
http://www.mustbeheaven.com
(979) 731-8891

Domino’s Pizza
2211 E William J Bryan Pkwy, Bryan, TX 77802
https://www.dominos.com
(979) 846-6666

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

3110 Briarcrest Dr, Bryan, TX 77802
https://www.crackerbarrel.com
(979) 731-8889

Los Cucos Mexican Restaurant

920 N Earl Rudder Fwy, Bryan, TX 77802
http://www.loscucos.com
(979) 776-7800

Chick-fil-A
2210 Briarcrest Dr, Bryan, TX 77802
https://www.chick-fil-a.com
(979) 731-1155

Event Security

J & H Security Enterprise Inc

4103 South Texas Avenue Suite #218-B, Bryan, TX 77802
(979) 822-7468

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Contacts

Local Churches

First Presbyterian Church

1100 Carter Creek Pkwy, Bryan, TX 77802
https://fpcbryan.org
(979) 823-8073

First United Methodist Church

506 E 28th St, Bryan, TX 77803
http://www.fumcbryan.org
(979) 779-1324

A & M Church of Christ

2475 Earl Rudder Fwy, College Station, TX 77845
https://www.am.church
(979) 693-0400

A&M United Methodist Church

417 University Dr, College Station, TX 77840
http://www.am-umc.org/en/
(979) 846-8731

Adult Service Organizations

Junior League of B-CS

3232 Briarcrest in the Brazos Center Bryan, Texas 77802
https://www.jlbcs.org
(979) 774-4759

Rotary Club
203 East Villa Maria Rd Bryan, Texas 77801
http://www.aggielandrotary.org
membership@aggielandrotary.org (email)

College Station Noon Lions Club

P.O. Box 112 College Station, Texas 77841
http://csnoonlions.org
(806)241-7693
Secretary@CSNoonLions.org
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 Final Recomendations

Facebook Event Pages

Creating Facebook event pages for each event hosted by Family Promise is a quick, easy way to
spread information about an event and receive RSVPs online. Event pages can be shared by Family Promise
and other members of the community for maximum visibility. Within the page, Family Promise can post
all event information in one easy to find and accessible place. Additionally, participants and potential guests
can ask questions and give feedback within the comments section.
Once the event page is created, Family Promise can invite individuals to the event directly. RSVPs to
the event are public, so potential attendees can see whether or not their friends are going.

Surveys

Generating and distributing a survey to send to all current and potential Family Promise volunteers
will help Family Promise determine what works well within the volunteer process and what can change to
better accomodate volunteers. With the completion of the new facility at Hope’s Crossing, the volunteer
experience is likely to change; this survey will ensure that transition is made in a way that encourages
volunteers to give their time.
Attached to this plan are sample questions to be included within the survey. Surveys can easily be
generated through Qualtrics or Google Forms.

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Final Recomendations

Family Promise Survey: BCS Area, Churches, other volunteer organizations

Have you ever heard of Family Promise of Bryan College Station?

a. Yes
b. No

Why do you volunteer?

a. For organization service hours
b. The love of volunteering
c. Interaction with other members of the community
d. Prefer not to answer
e. Other: _____________________________________

Rank these choices of where you would prefer to volunteer 1 being the most preferred to 4 being the least
preferred
___ Transportation/Mobile Service
___ Kitchen
___ Evening Host Service
___ Night Host Service

How comfortable are you volunteering overnight?

a. Comfortable
b. Slightly comfortable
c. Neutral
d. Slightly uncomfortable
e. Uncomfortable

Would you be willing to add yourself/ organization to a monthly volunteer calendar and commit to serve
for a given week each month out of the year?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Prefer not to answer

How would you prefer to be contacted?

(The purpose of this question is to gauge the preferred method of contact for volunteers in general.)
a. Phone
b. Email

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 Final Recomendations

Family Promise Survey: College Students

Have you ever heard of Family Promise?

a. Yes
b. No

Would you be interested in volunteering with Family Promise?

a. Yes
b. Maybe
c. No

How many total hours do you need to get service points for volunteering with your organization?
a. 0-1 hour
b. 1-2 hours
c. 3 or more hours
d. No limit

In some cases, volunteering will not include direct contact with the families. Would this impact your
decision to volunteer?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Prefer not to answer

Before you are eligible to volunteer each applicant must go through a basic screening, background check,
and training. Would this impact your decision to volunteer?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Prefer not to answer

What is the best way to contact you?

a. Phone
b. Email

Please place your information below so we are able to contact you about volunteer opportunities.

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Final Recomendations

Family Promise Survey: Volunteer Feedback

When were you informed of this course?

a. Over 2 weeks
b. Over 1 week
c. Over 3 days
d. Today

What do you think about the proficiency of the training for this course?
a. Excellent
b. Very Good
c. Average
d. Poor

Is this training course more efficient than the previous course with Family Promise?
a. Definitely yes
b. Probably yes
c. Maybe
d. Probably not
e. Definitely not

Would you recommend this training course to other volunteers?

a. Yes
b. Maybe
c. No

What is the best way to contact you if you would like to volunteer again with Family Promise?
a. Phone
b. Email

Please place your contact information below so we may contact you for volunteering with Family Promise.

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