When PPA’s Imaging USA national convention is held in New Orleans on January 15-17, attendees will learn what some of the top-earning studios in the nation already know: Charitable Marketing is one of the best ways for all photographers — from rookies to veterans — to connect with the kind of consumers who are willing to spend disposable income on photography. So mark your calendar NOW for this can't-miss program:

The Power of Charity - Sunday, January 15 — 9:00 - 10:30 A.M.

What You’ll Learn . . .

The program will include the following speakers who will explain how charitable marketing is a key strategy for keeping their businesses in the public eye and for driving qualified consumers to their door:

Sarah Petty enjoys a worldwide audience of boutique studio owners whom she helps to grow their small businesses through her keen insights and enthusiasm for marketing. A highly acclaimed speaker, author, MBA and coach who has literally inspired thousands of photographers, Sarah will show you how to generate publicity through charitable marketing. She’ll discuss how to build your brand and have your market fall in love with you while also helping your favorite charity. Her expertise is based on over 20 years helping build the Coca-Cola brand, meeting the marketing goals of a top regional advertising agency's clients, and building her own successful boutique photography studio into one of the most profitable in the country within just five years in business.

Beverly Walden is known internationally for both her photographic artistry and her sales and marketing expertise. She explains how charitable marketing fits into the high-end studio: “The Mission of Walden’s Photography is ‘to leave others better than we found them.’ What we have discovered is that we are changed for the better as well.” Beverly will explain how their work on behalf of Daniel’s Care, the pediatric division of Hospice of the Bluegrass helps to fulfill their mission by providing portraits of critically ill children and raising money for the indigent fund, which helps with medicines, supplies, gifts, car seats or whatever these families need that insurance doesn’t cover.

Mary Fisk-Taylor owns and operates two busy and successful studios in Richmond, Virginia. As President of PPA Charities and a proud wife and mother, her days are consumed with sessions, consultations, carpools and homework, but she still makes time for charitable marketing. Mary will discuss some quick and fun ways to create year-round charitable marketing promotions in your very own studio. These great tips are designed to keep sessions on the books, orders in house, and a great resource to fund their charity savings account. Mary and her team make it a goal each year to save as many smiles through PPA Charities and Operation Smile as they can, this year they are well on track to impact the lives of more children, all through the art of charitable marketing.

What You’ll Hear . . .

Former PPA President Ann Monteith will introduce a new nationwide charitable marketing promotion "Celebration of Smiles," set for April 21, 2012, which is available to all PPA members. Be among the first to sign up for this vibrant charitable marketing event that is designed to:

• Gain the personal satisfaction that comes from knowing that you have taken a leadership position in your industry by standing together with like-minded professionals who have made the world a better place through their art.
• Establish your business as one that chooses to benefit a very appealing charity. Many well-qualified consumers prefer to do business with those who care about others, especially children.
• Attract new clients and encourage repeat business from existing clients.
  

Why You Will Be Inspired . . .

PPA is honored that Wiliam P. Magee Jr., DDS, MD, humanitarian and co-founder of Operation Smile, will be on hand to explain the impact photographers have made on the lives of children served by Operation Smile, the charitable partner of PPA Charities. Dr Magee is a leading plastic and craniofacial surgeon who founded Operation Smile in 1982 with his wife, Kathleen S. Magee, and serves as the organization’s Executive Chairman. In 2005, PPA Charities named Operation Smile as its charitable partner, noting that the organization is a perfect fit for photographers, whose daily business is creating smiles for their clients: Operation Smile's mission is repairing childhood facial deformities including cleft lips and cleft palates through its network of global volunteers. To date, Operation Smile has treated more than 160,000 children worldwide and currently has programs in more than 50 partner countries, and Dr. Magee himself has trained thousands of physicians worldwide. A featured guest on many network television programs, Dr. Magee is also a keynote speaker at many corporate and national meetings.

Dr. Magee received the D.D.S. degree from the University of Maryland; the M.D. degree from George Washington University Medical School; served his general surgery residency at the University of Virginia Medical School; and received his plastic surgery training in Norfolk, Virginia. Awarded the Hays-Fulbright Scholar Grant from the Franco-American Commission, he studied in France with Dr. Paul Tessier, the father of craniofacial surgery. He has been published in numerous medical journals and medical texts and was honored by the American Medical Association and the American Plastic Surgery Society. Dr. Magee has received honorary doctorates from six universities; the American Medical Association honored him with its 2000 Pride in the Profession Award; and he received the Distinguished Service Award from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Dr. Magee maintains a private practice in Norfolk and is Co-Director of The Institute for Craniofacial and Plastic Surgery in the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters. He is an Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at the Eastern Virginia Medical School.

In 2007, UNICEF presented the Magees with a special recognition on behalf of Operation Smile.

January’s 2011 PPA Charities Celebration at PPA's ImagingUSA national convention in San Antonio was just that: a Celebration of the fun and fund-raising successes of PPA Charities during 2010. Eager participants broke the Nashville record of 500 with a full house of between 700 and 800 PPA members, which helped boost the evening’s fund-raising profits to $26,000! The fund-raising events included raffles, over 80 silent auction items and an exciting live auction.



This year the Celebration was co-sponsored by Texas School, and one of the auction items that created the most excitement was the Texas School Instructor “Goodie Basket.” The 35 instructors for the May 1-5 edition of Texas School donated the raffle items to benefit PPACH and Operation Smile. The basket included instructional DVD’s, CD’s, books and other photography-related items worth over $11,000. Twenty dollar tickets were sold throughout the evening and at the IUSA Trade Show. These instructors’ generosity raised $4105! The super-lucky winner was Allison Bordlemay, from Nashville, TN.

It took some 60 high-energy volunteers to make the Celebration such a success. They set up the room; handled check-in and check-out; provided photo-booth photography; sold blinky hearts, raffle tickets, water bottles, kisses, t-shirts and hoodies. Plus they served as silent-auction table captains and live-auction assistants and as rovers to help where it was needed. In short, the Celebration happened because of wonderful volunteers headed by Trustees Cindy Romaguera and Randy Taylor!




Special thanks go to WHCC and SuccessWare for their sponsorship and to auctioneer extraordinaire Louis Tonsmeire. Cheers to photo booth suppliers Denny Manufacturing and Image Spectrum and to booth photographer Jamie Hayes and event photographer Peter Horn. Thanks also to Sam Puc’ who raffled off “A Day With Sam” to lucky winner Stephanie Conrad from Sam’s own home state of Colorado. Since Sam won’t have to fly to Stephanie’s studio, she’s going to treat her to “a mani/pedi session and a few “fun girl things”, too! Most of all . . . thanks to the hundreds of PPA members who turned out for the fun, fellowship and festivities in support of PPA Charities and Operation Smile!


The evening's high point was the presentation of a check for $100,000, which represents funds raised by photographers for PPACH's charitable partner, Operation Smile in 2010, which brings the total raised by PPA members to $350,000. This translates into over 1,450 smiles that have been saved through the generosity of PPA photographers. In the photo below, PPA Charities Trustees and Texas School Board members surround Beth Marshall, director of Operation Smile's Southeast Region and Senior Executive Advisor for Latin America (center left). Beth is the sister of Kathy Magee, cofounder of Operation Smile.

To relive the sights and fun of the 2010 PPACH Celebration, check out the video below:

To make sure you’re a part of the 2012 PPACH Celebration event,
mark your calendar NOW for January 14, 2011.
SEE YOU IN NEW ORLEANS!

Join us at the FREE PPA Charities Celebration event at ImagingUSA on January 15, 2011 in San Antonio! Here's the most recent list of items to be auctioned:

LIVE AUCTION: Richard Sturdevant’s “The Deadman’s Hand” 30x40 Framed Canvas
Click here to learn more.



LIVE AUCTION: Spend a Week at Deep Creek Lake!

The high bidder will win a week-long stay at Jim and Ann Monteith's lake house at Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, a 4-seasons resort in the mountains of Western Maryland (Garrett County). Offered on May 7-13, 2011, the lake-side home has 5 bedrooms and 5 baths, sleeps 12, and would be perfect for a family vacation, business meeting or for hosting your own workshop.

LIVE AUCTION: Doug Gordon - Package of all Doug Gordon Products - $1700

LIVE AUCTION:

PPA Board Member Carol Andrews and her husband Greg Jensen, of Greg Jensen Originals, have donated a one-of-a-kind sterling silver charm cast from the fingerprint of a child who received the gift of life-changing surgery during an Operation Smile medical mission photographed by PPA Charities Executive Director Bert Behnke. According to Carol the charm represents “the healing gift given through the generosity of PPA Charities participants: This simple symbol artfully personifies a touch of gratitude from the children and their families whose lives have been healed.”

RAFFLE: Sam U to You

The “Sam U to You” raffle will provide you with chances to win a visit to your studio from marketing and management guru Sam Puc.’ To learn more click here.

RAFFLE: Chicks Who Click Conference Registration
June 23 - 26 - Firesky Resort, Phoenix, Arizona

RAFFLE: Texas School “Bonanza Basket”

This amazing treasure trove (worth over $8,000!) contains educational products donated by these 2011 Texas School instructors: Click here to see the entire list of instructors and their donations.

SILENT AUCTION: Bid On Workshops, Equipment, Software, Mentoring and More!

• Adobe - Lightroom 3 - $299
• After Dark - 4 tuitions - $499 each
• American Photographic Resources toy basket (with all APR toys) - $165, plus certificate for 25% off any prop
• Animoto - 3-month pass
• Animoto - 1-year pass
• Asuka Book - $250 Gift Certificate
• Backdrop Outlet - Theme Basket - 7 items
• Backgrounds by Maheu - 10x20 Fine Art Background
• Barbour Background - 6x8 Stratton Backdrop
• Beth Forester Photo Duds design package $500
• Chromaluxe - 16x20 Metal Photo Float Mount - $250
• Collages.net - Album design - $350
• Collages.net - $250 printing credit
• Collages.net - $150 high-gloss books credit
• Collages.net - $150 - card credit
• Craig’s Actions - gift certificate - $150
• Dahle trimmer 20" and 12"
• Digital Anarchy - Plug-ins, Designer Toonit - $654
• Drurys - Radio Poppers PX set - $500
• Excel Picture Frames
• Firesky Resort, Phoenix, for 3 room nights during “Chicks Who Click” conference - June 23-26, 2011
• Gina Alexander Bag - $273
• Kimbra Studios - Photo Wine Stopper - two charms - $65
• Kobota Image Tools - Full Creative Pak - $899
• Kodak Film 3-$765.00= $2295
• Larson Enterprise - 4-$250 gift cards
• Leather Craftsman
• Lens Baby $125 gift card
• MAC Group - Temba Sling Bag
• MAC Group - Temba Messenger Laptop Bag
• MAC Group - Temba Messenger Camer Bag
• Marathon Marketing & Design Workshop
• Marathon Make Money Now! Workshop
• Mid-South Color Labs - Back-lit 24x36 print
• Millers Professional Lab - Album $750
• New England Institute of Professional Photography - Gift Certificate for a week-long course at the 50th anniversary of the 2011 New England Institute of Professional Photography, Resort and Conference Center, Hyannis, MA, April 10-15, 2011. See course listings at www.neipp.com.

• Neil 6899 Briefcase and album
• NIK software - $599
• Oklahoma City Thunder NBA game - 4 on-the-floor tickets
• PPA - 2 PPA memberships
• Precision Camera and Video - $300 photolab credit
• Professional Photographers of Oklahoma - Oklahoma School Tuition - $400 - June 5-9 - June 14-16
• Send-Out Cards - $49
• Showcase Photo & Video - Lowepro Magnum 400 AW - $230.00
• Sigma $350 Flash EF-530
• Simply Canvas $100
• Snap Totes 100 Gift card
• Special Kids Photography Workshop
• SuccessWare - 1 year of leasing
• Texas School scholarship (May 1-6, 2011) even for sold-out class. See course listings at www.texasschool.org.
• Tamrac Zipshot tripod- $60, Evolution Backpack-$200, Rally 5 bag-$80.00
• John Travolta - Signed print
• Rick Trummer - Geeks Tour Workshop - $59
• Think Tank - Airport Takeoff Backpack - $299
• Viewfinder Masks (formerly CropLines) - Sensor cleaning

• Wacom Intuous 4 mediumTablet - $349
• Wescott lighting kit - $750
• WHCC - 4 theme baskets including $500 lab credit
• WHCC - 2 theme baskets including 3-month Pickpic Pro
• Wicker by Design - $50 gift certificate
• Wild Sorbet - $200 gift certificate

Can you imagine how much your business would benefit to have marketing and management guru, Sandy Puc’ spend a day at your studio! It will happen if you are the lucky winner of the “Sam U to You” raffle at the PPA Charities Gala on January 15 at IUSA!

Your best bet to be a total winner is to get to the PPACH Gala on time so that you can buy one of 100 water bottles containing a $25 gift certificate that can be redeemed for good stuff on Sam’s website, www.ukandu.com. That way you’ll get a water bottle to use for the rest of IUSA and be entered into a drawing for a FREE full-day consultation from Sam at YOUR studio. Sam will pay for her own transportation, visit YOUR studio, help you with your marketing – and buy you lunch! It simply couldn’t get any better than that! If the bottles run out, certificates will still be available.

The certificates can be redeemed at Sam’s website, www.ukandu.com, which features a wealth of marketing information. Many of the marketing kits are only $20 so you can apply the difference towards more than one kit. Why buy just one certificate? Why not purchase two or three and stock up on marketing ideas for the New Year?

The Charities Celebration Event will take place at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in the Lone Star Ballroom on Level 2, beginning at 8:00 p.m. Hope to see y’all there!!

One lucky attendee at the January 15, 20011, PPA Charities Celebration at Imaging USA in San Antonio will win an incredible educational treasure — worth over $8,000 — in the form of instructional products produced by teachers at the 2011 Texas School, which will take place in Dallas on May 1-6, 2011. For the winner, the Bonanza Basket, which will be the featured raffle prize at the PPACH Celebration, will be the next best thing to taking ALL of the fabulous instructors listed below home! Tickets will be sold for only $20 each . . . so get those $20 bills ready!*

Plus: A Texas School Scholarship for 2012 also will be included!

Here’s what the instructors have donated:

• Suzette Allen — 10 different CDs of assorted brushes, actions and edges
• Ross Benton —
  

• DougBox — 2 Books - Doug Box's Guide to Posing for Portrait Photographers and Professional Secrets of Natural Light Portrait Photography
• Carl Caylor — Artistic Elements of Portraiture DVD set
• Don Chick — Portrait Lighting Using a Large Softbox CD
• Jim Cunningham — Painting Portraits DVD
• Greg Daniel — Easy Cameo Painting CD, Painting Simplified CD Floating Watercolors, Purpose Driven and Images CDs, $100 Midsouth Gift Certificate
• Don Emmerich — Nancy Emmerich's favorite brushes CD and Cameracraftsmen of America 2010 Book
• Robert Faust — Job Shadow Robert on an Engagement or Bridal shoot to learn his techniques
• Mary Fisk-Taylor — Marketing Kit and Sales Plan Book
• Mike Fulton — Guide to TTL Flash Book
• Joe Glyda — The Artist's Way book, Rogue Flash Benders
• Colleen Gonsar — The Ultimate Senior Marketing Kit and Creating a Lifetime Customer Book
• Elizabeth Homan — Senior Posing Guide and Family Posing Guide
• Janine Killian — Janine’s Idea Guide DVD and Children Sessions Show
• Julianne Kost — Adobe Photoshop Lightroom3
• Steve Kozak — The Art of Composition, Bridal Posing Guide and Senior Posing Guide CD's and Quit Using your Camera on Program, Photographing People Outdoors, Fundamentals of Flash Photography and Fundamentals of Studio Lighting DVD's
• Scott Robert Lim — Tiny Trigger Set - includes 1 Transmitter and 3 Receivers
• Don MacGregor — 2 Scholarships to Image Explorations School - July 10-14, 2011
• Dan McDonald — Photoshop 101 DVD
• Ann Monteith — Ann’s 2nd edition of The Professional Photographer’s Guide to Marketing Success, published December 2010.
• Larry Peters — 2009 Posing Guide CD
• Sandy Puc' — Family Tour DVD
• Ralph Romaguera — Complete Collection of Educational Tools: School Days Manual, Pricelist Book and Bonus DVD, Sports, Marketing, Art Series, Digital workflow/Show Me the Money CDs
• Richard Sturdevant — DVD Set "Stur De Vinci"
• Michael Timmons — Photoshop Tutorials CD and Over 300 Backgrounds and Overlays Templates CD
• Tim Walden — Studio Lighting, In-Depth & In-Detail
• John Wilson — Designer Template CD
• David Ziser: Captured by the Light book, Kelby Media - "Live Wedding Shoot" DVD, Kelby Training "Rapid Tips and Tricks" DVD

Attendees at the live auction portion of the PPACH Celebration on January 15 at Imaging USA are in for a riveting ride when bidding begins on “The Deadman’s Hand,” Richard Sturdevant’s exceptional artwork, printed by BWC Photo Imaging. With a value set by the artist of $3,500, it’s possible that Celebration attendees will see that figure surpassed, given the accolades that Garland, Texas, photographer Sturdevant has received of late: He has not only engaged an eager following of collectors of his remarkable interpretive images and richly layered composites, he has consistently wowed PPA-approved jurors in national and district competitions. At this year’s Southwest PPA district print judging, all four of his electronic imaging entries received perfect scores of 100. “The Deadman’s Hand” is one of those extraordinary images.

According to an article that appeared in the December 2010 issue of The Professional Photographer magazine, it is believed that no other photographer has ever achieved four perfect scores at a PPA judging. If you haven’t read the article about Richards singular accomplishment, you can find it on page 98 of the current magazine issue. See more images and learn about his multi-faceted business at sturdevantstudio.com.

The beautifully framed canvas is 40 inches wide, and BWC President/CEO Lou George has generously offered to pay for shipping to the home of the lucky winner.

The Charities Celebration begins at 9:00 P.M. on January 15, the eve of Imaging USA, and the live auction will begin soon thereafter.

To say that the January 2010 PPA Charities Celebration at PPA's ImagingUSA national convention in Nashville was a success is truly an understatement! The event was packed with over 500 members eager to kick off the convention and celebrate PPA Charities' accomplishments for 2009.

The Big News: PPA Photographers
Raise $100,000 for Operation Smile!

The evening's high point was the presentation of a check for $100,000, which represents funds raised by photographers for PPACH's charitable partner, Operation Smile, in 2009. In the photo below, members of the PPA Charities Trustees and other well-wishers surround PPACH president Mary Fisk-Taylor (center right) as she presents the check to Beth Marshall, director of Operation Smile's Southeast Region and senior executive advisor for Latin America. Beth is the sister of Kathy Magee, cofounder of Operation Smile.

The $100,000 donation represents a major milestone for PPA Charities, as it nearly doubled the $50,635 contribution presented at IUSA in 2009. According to PPACH Executive Director Bert Behnke, "This outstanding result would not have been possible without the incredible participation of many new individual and corporate donors who have recognized that Operation Smile is such a worthy organization and a perfect fit for photographers." To date, PPA photographers have raised a total of $250,000 for Operation Smile. That translates into well over 1,000 smiles that have been saved through the generosity of PPA members. For a complete listing of PPACH 2009 contributors, click here.

The check ceremony followed a narrated slide presentation by Bert Behnke, who documented an Operation Smile mission to Paraguay in November, and a presentation by Dr. Rafael Gottenger, who spoke from the heart about the impact of Operation Smile and the importance of photography in telling the story of Operation Smile's world-wide missions. Dr. Gottenger's work was documented by PPA member and PPACH Board member Graham Wilson, who accompanied a November mission to Vietnam.

Graham Wilson and members of his studio staff are shown below along with
Dr. Gottenger, Beth Marshall and Bert Behnke.



Demonstrating The Power of ONE

"The Ronald" fundraiser, which took place during the Celebration, was a light-hearted spoof on Donald Trump's reality show with PPA President's Ron Nichols and two other judges, determining the winning team, shown below, which consisted of Kay Eskridge, Trey and Elizabeth Homan, Lori Nordstrom, and Dan Pfeffer.

Team leader Kay Eskridge explains their "Power of ONE" fund-raising strategy: "Our goal was to enlist the support of socially responsible photographers by sharing how simple the power of one really is: These are tough times for fundraising but we know that people still want to help. They just feel like the small amount they may have to give couldn't possibly make a difference. Our campaign was designed to show them it is not true. Small amounts could count. And, by spreading the word about the Power of One, they would become a part of a campaign that was making a dramatic difference in so many little lives. So we ed, ed, blogged, emailed, e-newslettered . . . and worked tirelessly at spreading the word and asking for small amounts. "Standing as ONE, professional photographers across the country can make a difference in the lives of children all over the world through the PPA Charities Operation Smile Campaign."

Rick Gibbons Honored With PPA Charities Legacy Award

During the Awards Ceremony on the last evening of ImagingUSA, Rick Gibbons received The PPA Charities Legacy Award, which recognizes outstanding service and commitment to PPA Charities and philanthropic endeavors. Rick was honored for his pioneering work with Operation Smile, through the North Carolina Professional Photographers Association and the Southeastern Professional Photographers Association (SEPPA), which resulted in the ongoing relationship between PPA Charities and Operation Smile. Rick is a past president of both organizations. Rick's award was acknowledged by Mary Fisk-Taylor during the Celebration event.

Because of the size of the crowd in Nashville, PPA has reserved a much larger room for the 2011 Celebration event at at IUSA in San Antonio. We're going to need it, as Texas School has contacted us to help sponsor the Celebration as the unofficial welcome party to IUSA 2011. Wow!

To relive the sights and fun of the 2010 PPACH Celebration, click here.

Mark your calendar NOW for January 15, 2011. SEE YOU IN SAN ANTONIO!

Join us at the FREE PPA Charities Celebration event at ImagingUSA on January 9, 2010 in Nashville! Here's the most recent list of items to be auctioned:

From the Work of Love to a Work of Art



Kindred Charms, of Houston Texas, has created a one-of-a-kind sterling silver bracelet (similar to the one shown above),which will feature four charms cast from the fingerprints of children who received the gift of life-changing surgery during a recent Operation Smile medical mission to Paraguay. PPA member Bert Behnke documented the mission and created the wax impressions from which the charms were cast. These fingerprints now represent the healing gift given through the generosity of PPA Charities participants: These simple symbols artfully personify the touches of gratitude from the children and their families whose lives have been healed, and a tag charm bears the PPA Charities identity. This exceptional bracelet was handcrafted in Texas, with love, by Greg Jensen and Carol Andrews of Kindred Charms.

Spend a Week at Deep Creek Lake!



The high bidder will win a week-long stay at Jim and Ann Monteith's lake house at Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, a 4-seasons resort in the mountains of Western Maryland (Garrett County). Offered on May 1-7, 2010, the lake-side home has 5 bedrooms and 5 baths, sleeps 12, and would be perfect for a family vacation, business meeting or for hosting your own workshop.

Bid On Workshops, Equipment, Software, Mentoring and More!

Photoshop CS4 from Adobe

After Dark Miami package including registration, lodging & equipment
Animoto offers an Annual ProPass & a 3 month ProPass
A 40"x90" retractable banner stand from Buckeye Color Lab
A Day of Hands On learning with a Burrell Professional Imaging Mentor
Carl Caylor's 4 DVD Educational Set
Collages.net gives a Free Album and gift certificates
Professional & Personal Rolling Trimmers from Dahle NA
2 Instructional DVDs from Greg Daniel
DriveSavers "Back Up" basket
ExpoDisc from Expo Imaging
Set of 3 designer handbags from Gina Alexander
John Hartman's QuickProofs Palette
NHL star Bret Hedican's autographed print
Jennifer Hudson's DVD Action sets
Jen's Fabulous Stuff Fundamental Posing Guide
Kimbra Studios Alexis solid sterling silver photo bracelet
Sterling Silver bracelet from Kindred Charms, commemorating Operation Smile
Kodak's Professional Film
Kubota Imaging Tools ProPack
A class at the 2010 Lamar Williamson School
Larson Enterprises Gift Certificates
An artistic background from Madcamp
Backgrounds by Maheu Scenic Muslin
Two Marathon Press Workshops
Metal Mural's 9 Square mini metal mural & a 12" metal square
A Fine Art Mural from Miller's Professional Imaging
Zion Camera Backpack from M-Rock Camera Bags
Musicians Hall of Fame basket
Nashville Attractions/Parthenon/Carnton Plantation/Zoo/Symphony
Nashville Restaurant certificates/Sole Mio/Chaffan's Barn Dinner
Nations Photo Lab Gift Certificates
NIK Software's Complete Collection Ultimate Edition
Nikon's D5000 Body w/AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55 lens & kit
Full tuition for the 2010 Oklahoma School
Tuition to the Oklahoma School Arches & Moab Landscape Workshop
Operation Smile set of Scrubs from the 2009 Paraguay mission
Tim Ostermeyer's Childrens Books & Fine Art Prints
Breeze Album from PictoBooks
2011 Buddy Pass for Imaging USA from PPA
One year PPA membership
Ron Nichols Studio Palettes
RNDS Fine Art Enhancement Palette
Two domestic airlines tickets from Safe Harbors Travel Group
Send Out Cards Box Software
Simply Canvas Gift Certificates
Southpoint Photo Imaging sends a Mitsubishi 3020 Printer
"Polar Bear & Camera" Ltd Edition 29/30 from Jay Stock
Suzette Allen's Sarabella Template Series
Tamrac's Aero Speed Pack Backpack/Ultra Pro case/Velocity 9x Sling Pack
One week class at the Texas School in 2010
Time Exposure's ProSelect Basic or Pro Upgrades
ProSelect Room View Collections I & II
Autographed John Travolta Aviation print
Tim Walden's BW Darkroom Palette
Gift basket & Gift Certificates from WHCC
WHCC PickPac themed baskets
Olympian Kristi Yamaguchi sends an autographed print
Helen Yancy Artist Palette

The Charities Celebration and Auction is FREE this year 
thanks to our major sponsor, WHCC. 

The first 200 attendees will receive a free drink ticket 
compliments of SuccessWare. 
  
A DJ will provide entertainment compliments of Marathon Press.

Join us at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel at 8:00 P.M.

The evening of Saturday, January 9, 2010 will kick off Imaging USA in a big way, as PPA Charities hosts its fifth annual Celebration Event & Auction at the world-famous Gaylord Opryland Hotel. This year, the festivities will be FREE to all IUSA attendees! Here's the schedule:

Beginning at 8:00 P.M., gather with fellow photographers to enjoy the camaraderie and fellowship as only PPA can offer: a multi-faceted experience that includes silent and live auctions of great photographic and celebrity items; a presentation from Operation Smile, our charitable partner; as well as our annual contribution presentation; dancing to a DJ; and a fun-filled event called "The Ronald" (think Celebrity Apprentice). During an evening highlight we will acknowledge our 2009 donors and award a $500 cash drawing.

PPA Charities announces the first ever full-day Charitable Marketing pre-conference class at PPA's ImagingUSA national convention. An all-star line-up will share their best ideas on how to incorporate charitable marketing into your studio strategy. The class, which is scheduled from 9-5 on Saturday, January 9, 2010, will take place at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel.

Class moderator will be Mary Fisk-Taylor, PPA Charities president and nationally known speaker. Confirmed speakers to date are Jed & Vicki Taufer, Lori Nordstrom, Jeff & Julia Woods, Sarah Petty, Lori Craft and Tim & Beverly Walden. In addition, Ann Monteith and Angie Weedon, the administrators of Family Portrait Month and Operation Smile Studio programs, will present information on the 2010 programs and activities, as well as a host of ideas for raising funds for Operation Smile, PPACH's charitable partner.

The class will include special guest speaker Margaret Moore, from Dublin, Ireland. Margaret will explain how the Irish Professional Photographers Association has used charitable marketing to elevate the profile of both the Association and its members through its annual Happy Faces Day promotion, which last year alone raised over $90,000 for its charitable partner. Recently Margaret was named as one of Ireland's Top 100 Business Women by Irish Entrepreneur magazine. She and her husband, Barry, own and operate Photogenic, an upscale portrait/wedding business in Dalkey.

Finally, you will see and hear from Bert Behnke and Graham Wilson, who in the last quarter of 2009 documented heart-touching Operation Smile missions in Bolivia and Vietnam. In their own words and pictures you'll understand just how powerful a tool charitable marketing can be, and how lives have been transformed because of professional photographers working on their behalf through Operation Smile.

This class will be offered for only $129! All speakers have agreed to donate their services for this amazing class to raise funds for PPA Charities, which will allow us to continue our support of Operation Smile and to provide opportunities for PPA members to do likewise.

For signup information click here.

So if you're still not sure if you wanted to attend the Celebration Event on Saturday, January 10th in Phoenix, here are a few reasons to consider.

• Alice CoopersTown - If you haven't been there or tried the food, it's a real treat. It's where rock & roll meets sports, the best of both worlds. This great venue is only a few blocks from the Phoenix Convention Center, so it's a short walk to the venue.
• VIP tickets are only $35 and in limited supply, you'll get FREE hors d'ouevres, FREE open bar, first chance at entry and guaranteed to not be shut out if we reach capacity. You will also be eligible for pre-event drawings and auctions and first peek at all of our auction items. This one hour reception (8-9pm) is a must for all of those who want to see and be seen as the patrons for PPA Charities. Plus you get a cool collectors button!
• Watch as PPA Charities presents our annual donation to Operation Smile. Last year's check for $52,000 from Family Portrait Month changed the lives of over 200 children by providing the funds needed for life-changing surgery on cleft palates and other facial deformities by the volunteers from Operation Smile.
• Meet Carmit Bachar, celebrity spokesperson for Operation Smile. This former PussyCat Doll, shares her story on how she was affected directly by Operation Smile.
• Be there as we recognize PPA Charities biggest supporters and find out who wins the mission trip with Operation Smile in 2009, as well as recognition of other VIPs.
• A fun way to show your support is to have your eyes done up in Alice Cooper's famous style. The Delta Zeta sorority from ASU is sending volunteers to give you Alice-Eyes for a small donation.
• Music? Well of course there's music! Rock out all during the evening, but get ready for a real experience when Sixty Degrees North takes the stage. For the first time, PPA Charities brings the fun with dancing and partying, kind of a big blow out to celebrate all of those who supported us in 2008 and bring in 2009.
• We'll also hear from our friends at Twin Cities PPA and the Texas School and see how they each have challenged the other PPA Affiliates to support PPA Charities.
• Be the first to see our new hoodies and long-sleeved t-shirts. We're sure they'll sell out, but those who come to the Celebration Event will have first dibs!
• Did I mention the Auctions? As of December 12th we have tons of items ready for your bidding with more coming every day.

Here's a list of what we have so far:

• The PPA Affiliates School are big supporters; we already have Scholarships from New England Institute of PP (NEIPP), Texas School, MAIPP, Image Explorations, West Coast School, the Oklahoma School, Triangle Institute of PP, East Coast School, Illinois Workshops and the Lamarr Williamson School.
• PPA Exhibitors who have stepped forward are many; SuccessWare is a sponsor of the Event and contributor as well as Gina Alexander,
• Tamrac, Image Tech Marketing, Expo Imaging Inc., DIGINEG Ltd., M-Rock Camera Bags, Group Photographers Assn., Corel Corporation, Backgrounds by Maheu, Richmond Professional Lab, Dahle North America, MyBWLab.com, Rice Studio Supply, WhiteHouse Custom Colour and Think Tank Photo.
• PPA has donated a full year membership and IUSA 2010 Registration and also VIP reserved seats to the Anne Geddes program. IUSA
• Speakers and PPA photographers donating items include Anne Geddes, Jeremy Sutton, Bert & Cindy Behnke, Ron Nichols and Hanson Fong.
• Local donors include the Phoenix Coyotes Hockey Club, Rockin' R Ranch, Sheraton Phoenix Hotel, First Watch Restaurant, Phoenix Art Museum, Out of Africa Wildlife Park, Phoenix Zoo, the Phoenix Suns Basketball Team and McCormick & Schmicks.
• And we have items from Robin Williams and John Travolta, too.

So is that enough reason to show up? But remember, only those with VIP tickets will be guaranteed admittance. After 9:00 p.m. everybody is welcome, but space is limited and only what Alice Cooperstown can hold will be accommodated, so call PPA or contact PPA Charities by calling 708-267-0657 or [email protected].

We hope to see you in Phoenix.

PPA Charities hosts a "Celebration" event Saturday evening before PPA's Imaging USA (the national convention in January) officially begins. The celebration event will take place at Alice Coopers Town in Phoenix, just two blocks from Convention Center and features fun, fellowship, and food. The evening kicks off with a VIP Cocktail Hour from 8-9pm. VIP Cocktail Hour tickets are only $35 and include hors d'oeuvres and open bar. The doors open to all convention attendees at 9pm, and the fun continues with the live/silent auction, the check presentation to Operation Smile, and music and dancing.

Mark your calendar now to attend the PPA Charities' Celebration on January 10, 2009, in Phoenix.