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 bbehnke@ppa.com.

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.