The good times definitely rolled in New Orleans at the January 14 PPA Charities Celebration Gala at PPA’s ImagingUSA national convention, which included fun, food, raffles and a host of auction items. It took a team of 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 beaded heart necklaces, raffle tickets and t-shirts. Plus they served as silent-auction table captains and Spotlight Item assistants. In short, the Celebration Gala happened because of wonderful volunteers headed by Trustees Britney Fulgraff and Randy Taylor, assisted by retiring Trustee Cindy Romaguera, who will be sorely missed!

The evening’s very special guest was Dr. Bill Magee (left), who, together with his wife, Kathy, founded Operation Smile. Dr. Magee was accompanied by his sister-in-law, Beth Marshall, (second from right), who is well-known to attendees of PPACH Celebrations, and who serves as director of Operation Smile’s Southeast Region and Senior Executive Advisor for Latin America. Beth’s sister, Kathy, was attending an Operation Smile fundraiser in Dallas. Also shown are PPA members who have played significant roles in PPA’s support of Operation Smile. They include (top row from left): Bert Behnke, founder and Executive Director of PPA Charities; Doug Peninger, who along with Rick Gibbons (far right) brought Operation Smile to the attention of PPA Charities; Laurie Weaver (second from left), the most recent PPA member to document an Operation Smile mission; and at center, Angie and Matt Weedon, who were honored with the PPA Charities Legacy Award for their outstanding philanthropic efforts on behalf of Operation Smile. The Weedon’s personal and studio donations since 2005 total an astounding $44,000!

The evening’s high point was an address by Dr. Magee, who expressed appreciation to PPACH and PPA photographers for their continued support of Operation Smile, and the presentation by PPACH trustees and PPA President Don Dickson of a check for $100,000 to Dr. Magee and Beth Marshall. In thanking PPA members for this donation, Beth pointed out that this $100,000 donation brings PPA’s total donations to Operation Smile to $500,000! The importance of this milestone, she added, is that this amount translates to 2,000 children who have been helped through the generosity of PPA photographers.

Special thanks go to WHCC and SuccessWare for their sponsorship of the Celebration Gala; to booth photographer Jamie Hayes and event photographer Peter Horn; and to Wild Sorbet Frame Company for supplying the frames used by PPA at the Gala and IUSA trade show. 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!