During this year’s April 28-May 13 Texas School session, generous students and instructors, as well as the Texas School Trustees, chose to support PPA Charities by challenging each other to give as much as they could to support the philanthropic arm of PPA, whose partner is Operation Smile, the international medical charity that repairs cleft lips and cleft palettes of needy children around the world. Their combined efforts, netted PPACH a contribution of $25,000 bringing the total of donations made by Texas School students, instructors and trustees, over a five-year period, to $113,070!

The top “Challenge” donation of $1,905 was made by attendees of the class taught by Lori Nordstrom, and the following classes donated $1,000 or more: Greg and Lesa Daniel, David and Luke Edmondson, Kay Eskridge, Hanson Fong, Mike Fulton and Cody Clinton, Elizabeth and Trey Homan, Gary and Kathy Meek,

How It All Got Started . . .

Texas School is the largest of all PPA Affiliate Schools in the country, and this year the week-long event drew over 1,000 students from throughout the U.S. and abroad. The tradition of PPA Charities fundraising at Texas School began spontaneously in 2008, when a few instructors, who were familiar with PPACH’s support Operation Smile, encouraged their class members to donate. This effort culminated at the Thursday evening all-school party when school director Don Dixon offered to shave his head if the donation could grow to $5000. It did, and Don lost his hair!

In 2009, Texas School instructors encouraged their classes to buy as many smiles as they could by playing an Operation Smile video so that students could learn how this organization’s incredible volunteers can perform life-changing surgery for a desperately needy child for only $240. Jed and Vicki Taufer’s class alone donated an amazing $7,300 for individual contributions and auctions of merchandise and private classes by Jed and Vicki. Their donation, along with those from other classes, along with an impromptu auction of donated vendor items, resulted in a $17,000 contribution to Operation Smile!

Since then, donating to PPA Charities and Operation Smiles has become a tradition at Texas School. The 2014 edition of Texas School will be held in Dallas on April 27 – May 2. For information on Texas School, click here.

Congratulations to Jason Williams, Snapshots Photography, Salisbury, North Carolina, who was the big winner of the amazing Imaging USA Speakers Basket raffle held at PPA’s annual IUSA convention in Atlanta in January. Valued at over $8,000, these educational items were donated by speakers at IUSA 2012.

Congratulations also to Ania Mikolajewski, who was the lucky winner of an opportunity to document an Operation Smile Mission. Ania’s name was drawn from all those who donated $240 or more in support of Operation Smile in 2012.

Ania, who is a Certified Professional Photographer, is the owner of Denver-area Ania Mikol Photography. Last year she participated in PPA Charities’ first Celebration of Smiles promotion.

Once again PPA Charities’ Celebration Gala and Auction, held this year on January 19, proved to be a great kickoff for PPA’s Imaging USA convention in Atlanta. PPA members from around the country packed the convention hotel ballroom ready to have a good time, bid on great auction bargains, and celebrate PPA Charities’ 2012 fundraising efforts on behalf of its charitable partner Operation Smile. On hand for the check presentation ceremony with members of the PPA Board of Directors and PPA Charities Trustees was Dr. Bill Magee, who, together with his wife, Kathy, founded Operation Smile. Dr. Magee, shown holding the check at left, was accompanied by his sister-in-law, Beth Marshall, director of Operation Smile’s Southeast Region and Senior Executive Advisor for Latin America, shown holding the check at right.

The $70,000 check means that PPA members have now contributed over $570,000 to Operation Smile, which translates into saving some 2.385 smiles of children around the world.

For the fourth straight year, generous Texas School trustees, students and instructors chose to support Operations Smile, the charitable partner of PPA Charities, during the April 28-May 3 school session. Spearheaded by an outstanding donation of $5,000 from the Texas School itself, headed by Don Dixon, who also serves as PPA’s chairman of the board, instructors and students challenged each other to give as much as they can to help Operation Smile carry out its important work around the world. Altogether, the Texas School donation for the 2012 school session totaled a record-breaking $25,600!

Because Operation Smile medical and support personnel donate their time, it costs only $240 to provide the gift of life-changing surgery to a deserving child. When adding this year’s Texas School donation to those of the previous three years, this means that Texas School students, instructors, and directors have donated a total of $87,669 to Operation Smile and therefore are responsible for saving 365 precious smiles!

The top student donation of $2,100 was made by attendees of the class taught by Greg and Lesa Daniel, and the following classes donated $1,000 or more: Doug Box and Randy Kerr, Kay Eskridge, Mary Fisk-Taylor and Jamie Hayes, Julie Klaasmeyer, Richard Sturdevant, Michael and Tina Timmons, Janice Wendt, and David Ziser.

The PPA Charities family is mourning the loss of a wonderful friend, Jon R. Smith, of Moore, Oklahoma. Jon passed a way suddenly on January 31.

Typical of Jon’s willingness to help others was evident at Imaging USA in New Orleans, when he was the first volunteer to arrive to help set up for the PPACH Celebration Gala on Saturday, January 14, and he was the last to leave, once everything was packed up and moved out.

His friend (and PPACH Trustee) Randy Taylor said this about Jon, in forwarding the sad new about his passing: “Not many knew that Jon came to San Antonio and New Orleans to help with the Charity Event. He stayed for one day of trade show and went home after. He really enjoyed helping with our cause. He also worked with special kids at several Christmas events and always donated his time. He was the editor for the Oklahoma Professional Photographers and was serving as convention manager for the current year. He also served on our Affiliate School board and was responsible for the website and publication. Some people walk quietly and leave a huge foot print. He was one of those people.”

After hearing about his untimely death, Richard Sturdevant created the painting of a photograph by Ted Lane, shown here, for the family. Thanks to Richard and Ted, for allowing us to reproduce this beautiful tribute to Jon.

PPA Charities is receiving donations for a memorial gift in Jon’s name to benefit Operation Smile. To donate, go to this link. Type in Jon’s name when you update your donation total. Jon’s widow, Debbie Smith, can be reached at 405 N. Butler, Moore, OK 73160.

Jon’s obituary appears below:

Sept 9, 1954 – Jan 31, 2012 MOORE Jon R. Smith, 57, of Moore, OK, went to be with the Lord on January 31, 2012. He was born in Pawhuska, OK on September 9, 1954, to Walter & Clara Smith. Jon graduated from Moore High School in 1973. He attended the First Baptist Church of Moore. He was a professional photographer and was the editor of the Professional Photographers of Oklahoma. Jon is survived by his wife of 25 years, Deborah Smith; mother, Clara Smith; sister, Belinda Patrick and husband Larry; and nephew, Dennis Patrick. He was preceded by his father, Walter Smith. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Monday, February 6, 2012, at the First Baptist Church of Moore. Interment will follow at Moore City Cemetery, Moore, OK. Services are under the direction of the John M. Ireland Funeral Home, Moore, OK.