Dallas photographer Cindy Crofford used the two 6×9 direct mail marketing cards shown below to help attract family clients during October, offering to donate half of the studio’s session fee to Operation Smile. To further call attention to Operation Smile as the beneficiary of the promotion, Cindy cleverly used two appealing quotes about the value of smiles. Thanks, Cindy!
Florida PPA Supports PPACH Activities
Thanks to the leadership of the Florida Professional Photographers Association, who generously provided booth space for PPACharities at their August convention in Orlando. Thanks also to PPA Charities Trustee Britney Fullgraf, who organized the booth and to her son, Simon, shown above, who manned it while mom was attending meetings. If your affiliate wishes to help PPA Charities fund-raising efforts, please contact Bert Behnke, Executive Director, PPA Charities at (708) 267-0657 or bbehnke@ppa.com.
For the third straight year generous students, instructors, and directors of the Texas School have elective to support Operations Smile, the charitable partner of PPA Charities. Starting with a fantastic donation of $4,500 from the Texas School itself, headed by Don Dixon, who also serves as PPA president, instructors and students challenge 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 2011 totals $21,069!
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 two years, this means that Texas School students, instructors, and trustees have donated a total of $62,069 to Operation Smile and therefore are responsible for saving well over 250 precious smiles!
Special thanks goes to the following “Leadership Classes” that donated $1,000 or more. These classes were instructed by:
Mary Fisk-Taylor and Jamie Hayes – $1,110 
Sam Puc’ $1,000 
Tim & Beverly Walden – $1,120 
And a big round of applause to David Ziser’s 
class, which raised the winning total $2,045!
“Chicks” Enjoy Another Hot Time in Scottsdale
Over 100 registrants joined sponsors, vendors, and presenters in Scottsdale, Arizona, in June for the second “Chicks Who Click” Conference sponsored by PPA Charities. Once again the conference received rave reviews for the venue, activities, and education. PPACH President Mary Fisk-Taylor expressed her gratitude for the great team effort displayed by the volunteers, trustees, speakers and vendors who made the conference such a great success.
Because Chicks Who Click is held to benefit Operation Smile, the charitable partner of PPA Charities, one of the event’s most important presentations was made by Laurie Weaver, who recounted the wonderfully meaningful experience she had while documenting an Operation Smile mission to Ethiopia this year. Watch this blog for more information on Laurie’s trip.
To get a really good look at the fun, food, fellowship, and education that took place in Scottsdale, view the video below. Thanks to Jamie Hayes for his great photography!
Matt & Angela Weedon Are 2010 Top Individual Contributors; WHCC Leads Corporate Donors
For the second consecutive year, Dallas-area studio owners Matt and Angie Weedon were the top individual donors to PPA Charities with a total contribution of $9,600. In addition to providing support and sponsorship for other PPA Charities activities in 2010, a contribution of $10,000 made White House Custom Colour the year’s top corporate donor. View the entire 2010 donor list by clicking here.
Angie and Matt Weedon are owners of Angela Weedon Photography in Garland, Texas, and Angie recently concluded her service as a member of the Board of Trustees of PPA Charities. In four of the past six years, Angie and Matt have topped all individual donations to Operation Smile. Their total contributions during that period is an astonishing $37,500! Most of these funds were raised through studio activities, including the sale of “Smile Cards.” You can read more about the Weedon’s success in fundraising by clicking here. Visit their website by clicking here.
Thank you Matt and Angie and WHCC!!