Last night’s meetup was a great way to kick things off. Thanks to everyone who was able to make it. For those that were not able to make it, rest assured we’re actively seeking a time/venue that will work for more people. Expect to receive a survey in the next day or so that will help us shape the future of RefreshAugusta.

Recap

Last night, Chris Harrison and Nik Wilets gave an introduction to RefreshAugusta: What it is and what we hope it can grow to become. (Slides will be posted to our website tomorrow for anyone interested.) David Fugate followed up by sharing his vision for a new creative coworking space in Augusta, GA. Expect to hear more about it once it becomes a reality!

Giveaway Winners

Thanks to Adobe and the Webmaster Jam Session, we had some great stuff to give away last night. Angelia Spell took home a copy of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2. Nik Wilets, Felicia Haynes and Phil Rundle won attendee badges to the upcoming Webmaster Jam Session. Dan Doughtie and Patrick Rodgers both won Adobe organic t-shirts. David Fugate took home an aluminum Adobe sports bottle.

Expect more great stuff to be given away at future events!

Webmaster Jam Session

The Webmaster Jam Session is a two-day event featuring some of the best web designers, developers, marketers and visionaries in the world. Join us in Atlanta, GA from October 3rd through the 4th.

Save 30% off a badge by using the Coupon Code REFRESHAUGUSTA at checkout. You’ll save nearly $60 off the cost of an attendee badge and nearly $120 off a Platinum badge.

Interested in Speaking?

If you’re interested in speaking at any upcoming RefreshAugusta meeting, please get in touch with Chris Harrison via email: chris@powerserve.net or by phone: (706) 495-8431.

Upcoming Events

• Augusta Drupal Group meetup - 8/21/08, 6pm-7pm. (Details)
• RefreshColumbia August meeting - 8/27/08, 6pm-7:30pm. (Details)
• RefreshAugusta September meeting - 9/23/08, 6pm-7:30pm. (Details)
• Webmaster Jam Session - 10/3-10/4/08. (Details)

Sponsors

RefreshAugusta is sponsored, in part, by:

• Adobe Systems, Inc. - Offering business, creative, and mobile software solutions that revolutionize how the world engages with ideas and information.
• CampaignMonitor.com - Built for designers who can create great looking emails for themselves and their clients, but need software to send each campaign, track the results and manage their subscribers.
• PowerServe - A full-service design and development company, PowerServe integrates the creative design services of a traditional ad agency with the technical innovation of an IT consulting firm.

It’s time to Refresh!

This month’s meetup will be held 8/20 from 6pm-7pm at PowerServe. If you plan to attend, please RSVP through Upcoming. (Simply login to Upcoming with your Yahoo! ID. If you don’t have a Yahoo! ID, or don’t want to bother with Upcoming, call Chris at 706.495.8431 to RSVP by phone.)

Event Details

• When

  Wednesday, August 20th at 6pm

• Where

  959 Broad Ste, Ste 200, Augusta GA (Get Directions)

• Parking

  Parking will be available on the street and in the parking “lagoon” in front of 959 Broad Street.

Here’s what we’ll be discussing this month:

• An Introduction to Refresh

  What is Refresh? What are we hoping to do? How can you get more involved? We’ll touch on this and more as we kick off our first meeting.

• Coworking

  Learn about the benefits of coworking and opportunities in Augusta for coworking.

Giveaways

There will be a few giveaways at this and future meetings. We’ll be giving away some software, some badges to the Webmaster Jam Session and a few other things.

Sponsors

RefreshAugusta is sponsored, in part, by:

• Adobe Systems, Inc. - Offering business, creative, and mobile software solutions that revolutionize how the world engages with ideas and information.
• CampaignMonitor.com - Built for designers who can create great looking emails for themselves and their clients, but need software to send each campaign, track the results and manage their subscribers.
• PowerServe - A full-service design and development company, PowerServe integrates the creative design services of a traditional ad agency with the technical innovation of an IT consulting firm.

See you there!

It’s that time of year again: The 2008 A List Apart: Survey for People Who Make Websites is here and it wants you to get in on the action.

Calling all designers, developers, information architects, project managers, writers, editors, marketers, and everyone else who makes websites. It is time once again to pool our information so as to begin sketching a true picture of the way our profession is practiced worldwide.

Possibly the most important invention of the past century, the web is undeniably one of the most robust engines of knowledge transfer, political and social change, artistic endeavor, and economic growth the world has seen.

Remove the web, and billions in trade disappear. Websites enable people who can’t walk to run to the store. They bring knowledge and freedom of thought to places where such things are scarce; make every person with a connection a citizen of the world; and allow every citizen to be heard.

So, what are you waiting for? Go take the Survey already!

If you’re interested in helping out with planning and/or promotion of upcoming RefreshAugusta events, we’re going to have a planning meeting at The Metro Coffeehouse on 7/24 7/30 at 6pm. If you can make it, please leave a comment on this post.

UPDATE: Planning meeting rescheduled for 7/30 due to some last minute scheduling issues. We’ll make this happen…

Chances are you’re already using sites like Facebook, Flickr, Twitter or Upcoming.org. Rather than create our own social network, we’re going to leverage the power of existing networks to disseminate information to people interested in Refresh Augusta. Currently, we’re using the following networks:

• Facebook: Refresh Augusta - news, event information and more.
• Flickr: Refresh Augusta - photos.
• Twitter: Refresh Augusta - news, event information and more.
• Upcoming: Refresh Augusta - event information.

What social networks do you currently use? How can we make it easier to keep you updated on RefreshAugusta news?

I’ll be attending the 2008 Webmaster Jam Session this October 3-4 in Atlanta, GA. Last year’s event in Dallas, TX was a blast and I still can’t get over how good of an event it was, how much I learned, or how many peers I was able to meet. The fact that it’s in Atlanta this year makes it a no-brainer for me to attend it again. This time, at least one or two coworkers will be coming along as well.

If you’re on the fence about going, let me put it to you this way: I got more out of this two-day conference than I have from other high-profile events I’ve attended. Last year’s event featured speakers such as Jared Spool, Molly Holzschlag, Michael Lopp and many more. Topics range from SEO, Typography, CSS, Usability, etc. Fact is, you’re bound to find more than a few sessions that will appeal to you. Oh, and did I mention that registration is only $199? Yeah. Seriously.

If you’re going, or thinking about going, let me know in the comments!

RefreshColumbia will be holding it’s July Meetup on Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 6:00 PM at The State Newspaper [details]. Several of us from PowerServe will be making the short trek to Columbia to attend, and we’re hoping you’ll consider going as well. Jason Beaird will be discussing his book “The Principles of Beautiful Web Design“. Afterwards, we’ll head to the Carolina Ale House in The Vista.

As far as our events are concerned, I’m hoping to make an announcement tomorrow about an August meetup tomorrow. I’ll post details here on the website and will also make announcements on Twitter.

If you know anyone who works on the web, works in print media, is into photography, etc. I encourage you to let them know about Refresh Augusta. While the web is my first love, I don’t think it should be the primary focus of our meetups. What do you think?

I just setup a Facebook group for Refresh Augusta. Once we start having regular meetings, we’ll be using multiple social networks - plus this site - to keep people abreast of what’s going on.

We’re in the process of getting things setup so that RefreshAugusta can hit the ground running. If you’re interested in getting involved, contact Chris Harrison via email: info@refreshaugusta.com or via phone: 706.495.8431.

We’re going to be holding regular meetings starting in June. Date and location have not been decided upon yet, but if you signup to be on our mailing list or follow us on Twitter (@refreshaugusta) you’ll be the first to know about upcoming events. We’ll also have information available on Upcoming.