Results tagged “PPA Charities” from PPA Today

Become an Operation Smile Studio Today. Change the Life of a Child Tomorrow!
Donate by December 15 to be listed on PPA Charities' Roll of Honor

PPA Charities has dramatically expanded its commitment to its charitable partner, Operation Smile, by asking all PPA-member studios to stand together with fellow members to save the smiles of children around the world by becoming an Operation Smile Studio.

For a donation of $240, you can become a 2010 Operation Smile Studio, which proclaims to your clients that you are part of an international commitment by PPA Charities to support the life-changing work of Operation Smile, the highly regarded Norfolk, Virginia-based charity that provides the gift of surgery to precious children suffering from facial deformities.

Your donation of $240 will make it possible for Operation Smile's volunteer medical professionals and support personnel to perform a single surgery that will transform the life of a deserving child born with a facial deformity, such as cleft lip or cleft palate.

Make your $240 donation (or more if you can) by December 15, 2009, and you'll be listed on PPA Charities' Roll of Honor as an Operation Smile Leadership Studio. (If you have already donated $240 or more through Family Portrait Month, you will be listed on the Leadership Roll.)

Dear PPA Member,

They line the hallways and stairwells of homes, in carefully placed groupings or ramrod single files. Images of children--showing the progression of time, special moments and, often, exuberant joy--are some of the most touching photographs. Whether formal or candid, you can almost hear someone say to these kids, right before the button is pushed: "Smile!"

What if the child couldn't smile?

This week's Vital Signs shares important information about a wonderful opportunity to bring new clients to your studio (or bring existing clients back). Hopefully, it also inspires you to reach out and look at what you can do on a larger scale. Whether you go through Operation Smile and PPA Charities or through your own personal choice of charity or organization, you can use your talent and give your own gift to the world.

The majority of our Vital Signs articles are about making sure that you stay successful in business--and much of the time, they are about staying financially successful. Sometimes, though, it's good to think about success from another point of view. Hopefully, this will inspire you...to inspire others.

Cheers,

Christel Aprigliano
Director of Member Value & Experience

Last October, nearly 350 Professional Photographers of America (PPA) members in 41 states and the District of Columbia joined PPA Charities' Family Portrait Month, an annual, national fundraising effort to benefit Operation Smile--raising the total donation to more than $150,000.

On January 10, during PPA's Imaging USA convention in Phoenix, Arizona, PPA Charities presented a check for $50,635.21 to Operation Smile at Alice Cooperstown. The check was presented to Beth Marshall, Operation Smile Senior Executive Advisor for Latin America and Caribbean, and Carmit Bachar, Operation Smile Celebrity Smile Ambassador. Bachar, an American singer and dancer, is best known as a member of the pop group, The Pussycat Dolls. In addition to serving as a Smile Ambassador, Bachar--born with a cleft lip and cleft palate--participated on an Operation Smile medical mission to Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

Take a look at the smiles that are created when you participate in Family Portrait Month. By participating in this charity event, you help PPA Charities raise funds for Operation Smile, allowing them to continue their work with children around the world.

Since 1982, more than 115,000 children and young adults have been treated by thousands of volunteers worldwide and thousands of healthcare professionals have been trained globally. For as little as $240 Operation Smile can change a child's life by giving the gift of a surgery. Revenue in excess of surgical costs is invested into our sustainability programs, empowering our partner countries to treat more children on their own and making your investment go even farther. In as little as 45 minutes, one cleft lip surgery can change a child's life forever.

For More information, or to participate, visit www.PPACharities.com.

Slideshow prepared by Angie Weedon for PPA Charities.