10 Years of Childhelp

It seems like only yesterday I was listening to a new song by Collin Raye called “The Eleventh Commandment (Honor Thy Children)”. This song and the subsequent video brought Childhelp into my world. It was yesterday that I sat in the gym at the Alice C Tyler Village of Childhelp East with others to be recognized for 10 years of volunteer service. How did time fly by so quickly?

Currently there are about 60 kids at the Village. On the gym stage the kids were singing, clapping and playing recorders. They looked and acted like any kids putting on a show and then I remembered why there were there. Each and every one of them had been abused or neglected so severely they were removed from their homes and brought to the Village, which for many is the last stop. These are kids that society has thrown away, many have behavioral issues due to the abuse. At the Village, they find love and they heal and they have hope for a better future.

Whenever I leave the Village I stop at the entrance and take pictures. Need a picture of the Village entrance in any season, I probably have it. Since I wasn’t there as a photographer with all of my equipment for the event, I took pictures of the entrance with my phone. That simple device had me looking at the Village in a new way. It occurred to me how very much the entrance and grounds looked like the church camps I used to attend when I was young. Those were happy places where important life decisions were made. This Village, this camp, becomes a place of refuge for these children, where they can be happy and not be scared.

If you had asked me in junior high or high school what I wanted to be when I grew up, I probably would have told you I wanted to work for a church camp or an organization that gave people that same sense of happiness I experienced as a child. It wasn’t until yesterday that I realized, that’s what I’m doing. It sort of snuck up on me. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment at an event like the concert we had last week. I get the opportunity to take pictures of a lot of celebrities and high ranking officials in this volunteer gig. It can be pretty fun. But you see, the images are then used for publicity purposes and promotional material that raises money and awareness for Childhelp, a place where abused hearts heal and where all who enter will find love.

upcoming events

make a difference photography will be at the following events:

Selling
Friday, March 5, 7-9pm Leesburg First Friday at the Resourceful Woman
proceeds will benefit the Loudoun Abused Women's Shelter

Shooting
Sunday, March 7, McLean Racquet Health Club - Annual Charity Tennis Exhibition - tickets are available for purchase

Tuesday, April 13, Warner Theatre, DC - David Foster concert celebrating Childhelp's 50th Anniversary - this event will be televised - tickets are available for purchase

Wednesday, April 14, Annual Day of Hope luncheon on Capitol Hill - private event

2010 Childhelp Fashion Show

Yesterday, make a difference photography was happy to shoot the annual Childhelp Fashion Show. An event started by good friend Kim Hudson five years ago and still carrying on today. In addition to viewing great kids, tweens and women's clothing on the runway, guests at the event had a chance to win silent auction and raffle items, bid on live auction items and shop at the boutique of vendors. Which for the first time ever included make a difference photography. Here's a few images from the event.


















































All of the images can be viewed at the make a difference photography Fashion Show Gallery.

Drive the Dream - 2010

I just arrived home from one of the most amazing, magical charity events I've ever attended. Saturday night in Scottsdale, AZ, Barrett-Jackson hosted the Drive the Dream gala benefitting Childhelp. Every year I've had the chance to shoot this event, it's been a great time with great food, great entertainment and lots of fun. And I'm sure lots of money has been raised, but not like last Saturday. Thanks to a 3 to 1 matching donation Childhelp raised $4 million, that's right $4 million. Once everyone realized that every dollar turned into 4 the live auction just took off. Once someone was outbid they ended up matching the winner and more than one of each item was bought. It was incredible.






















While raising money was the cause and the highlight of the night, the entertainment provided some real highs as well. I guess there was a foreshadowing of the 4 to 1 night when on the stage there was not one but 4 American Idol finalists. Fan favorites Scott MacIntyre, Brooke White, Michael Johns and Matt Giraud all performed. Scott and Matt provided a highlight near the end of the night with a rousing piano duel.

There were also a couple of young idols in the making. Eight year old Athena Creese opened the evening with God Bless America and eleven year old Jalon Watts brought everyone to their feet with an amazing performance of I Will Always Love You. Whitney and Dolly better watch out.



The entertainment was great, but that was just a small slice of the stars in attendance. Childhelp Celebrity Ambassadors Megyn Kelly, Paulie Harraka, Cheryl Ladd and John O'Hurley were there. Bret Baier from Fox News, Lynn & Foster Friess and Jim & Kathy Coover founders of Isagenix all received awards from Childhelp. And from the political arena, former Vice President Dan Quayle and his wife Marilyn, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and Arizona Congressman John Shadegg were also present and having fun. The night would not have been possible without the generosity of Craig Jackson and his mother Nellie. Finally, you can't leave out the starlets that started it all over 50 years ago, Sara O'Meara and Yvonne Fedderson. Without them, there would be no Childhelp. Thank you for more than 50 years of service to the children.















For more pictures from this event, please visit my gallery. Also on my website are images from the VIP event the night before the gala.