"We make a living by what we get,
but make a life by what we give" ~Winston Churchill
We truly love the opportunity to give back to our community members who have supported us for all these years, and to some of the great organizations that touch the lives of others. In the past, we offered Auction Cards to the local fundraisers, but while this helped them in small amounts, it kept our hands tied as to just how much we could give to those organizations who requested our help.
So in January 2014, we decided to discontinue our Auction Cards and make some
BIG and exciting changes in the way that we give back. Changes that will allow us the flexibility to not only be more directly involved in giving back, but to be able to give more freely, more frequently, and more, financially, than we ever had before!
Over time, we thought long and hard about those organizations which have touched our lives personally, and which personal stories resonated with us, so we chose those specific ways to give back, directly to our community.
I'm so excited to announce our new Giving Back Programs for 2014, so here they are! (Cue drum roll.........)
1. HEALING FAMILIES
Families with children living with a serious Developmental, Physical or Life-threatening Challenge often don't get family portraits because of the already busy lifestyle they lead. However they deserve to have a fun day to celebrate their love and strength with a beautiful family portrait session.
2. CANCER WARRIORS
Cancer has touched so many lives, how could we NOT give to these amazing and brave individuals? So we would like to honor those who are battling or have already conquered cancer, with their own Portrait Session, letting their bravery and strength shine through.
3. LIL BUDDY's
After the sudden and unexpected loss of our sweet Buddy (an Australian Shepherd/Border Collie) in the summer of 2012, we sadly realized that we had not had any true portraits of him. This broke our hearts. Because of this, Juli started offering complimentary Pet Sessions in the studio to those who had a pet who had less than 12 months to live, due to a life threatening, incurable disease. Our pets truly are our family and should be cherished the same, don't you agree?
Here is how it works...
Up to 2 candidates per month, for any of our 3 programs,
will be selected and offered:
A complimentary 1 Hour Portrait Session
PLUS
The Full Gallery of Digital Images.
* A total potential value of up to $700 *
"No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another."
~Charles Dickens
Each of these 3 programs are possible BECAUSE OF YOU.
When you invest in your own session, (through your Session Fees and Product Ordered,) a percentage is set aside to provide these families and individuals with amazing memories that will last for generations.
This is a not for-profit program and is funded solely by Bonell Photography. Juli's time, as well as her talent and any product costs and services, are all donated by Bonell Photography.
If you would like to contribute, simply book your own session, or a session for a friend. Then be sure to tell your friends and help us spread the word about our Giving Back Programs and how they can help too!
Please note: We do not accept donations or volunteers for these programs, but we appreciate your willingness to help.
NOMINATE SOMEONE!
Nominate someone you know and love to be included in one of our 3 Giving Back Projects. Simply
email us and tell us their story! We have experienced our own personal challenges, so we understand, and would love the opportunity to offer your friend or family member a session that will truly honor them.
THE CRITERIA
Although we would love to give complimentary sessions to everyone who meets the criteria of one of our programs, that is simply not possible. Only a very limited number of individuals/families are chosen each month for this project, so please be unrestrained, transparent and honest about your nomination.
Please write to us and tell us their story in up to 1,000 words about why you would like your candidate to be considered for a complimentary portrait session with Bonell Photography.
Subject line should read "
Giving Back Project" through our
contact page or to info@BonellPhotogrphy.com.
Be sure to include the name/s and all contact information for the candidate and yourself, including:
email, phone, mailing address and
personal facebook page.
For verification purposes, their story must be able to be confirmed. Sadly, there are those who would try to take advantage of any opportunity like this, and would be willing to lie in order to receive such a gift. (i.e. "Service" dogs who are not officially trained and certified, Illegal use of disabled parking permits, etc. The list goes on.) So please make sure that we are able to easily verify their story through multiple named references and/or their facebook page. All information is for verification purposes only, and will be kept strictly confidential. Essays will be judged on sincerity, clarity, and relevance to the topic.
You must follow all of the above steps in order to qualify.
The candidate must also agree to their images being published and be willing to provide a testimonial submission in writing (email or hand written) after the session to share with others about their experience.
All chosen candidates must also agree to the Bonell Photography policy/contract prior to their session.
Each month, up to only 2 candidates will be selected and notified so that we may schedule their session.
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