Please Forward to all people you think may be interested!!!
Due to the recent Floods, here in Atlanta GA area, I have really felt it on my heart by God to really help these families. Last week I walked the neighborhoods, talked with families, hugged them, loved on them, and felt connected to them, sad for them, there has been many times I’ve come home exhausted from the emotional effects its taken on me. Besides food and money I was asking God what can I do for them, and it hit me. I was walking down the street and handing out water and snacks and ran across this guy’s garage he had a beautiful framed family portrait propped up that had been destroyed by water damage due to the flood, it brought me to tears. It hit me, I need to set up some kind of day to give back to these families, as a photographer! So I have talked to my church and they are going to support it, and think its a great idea! There are many facets to this that I could use volunteers for. We are also going to be doing a raffle, and take donations to use to buy the families each some prints to help rebuild there family picture collections, I don’t know how many albums I saw destroyed in yards!
See this picture here, here’s one example of many!
What I need is volunteers to help with a few different things. I need photographers to volunteer to help out the day we will be shooting. It will be at my church, First Baptist Church Powder Springs. There are MANY locations there at the church that are great backgrounds to use for photos. We will be putting this out to families in a couple different ways. I think we will be going door to door in neighborhoods that we know are effected here in Austell, and areas around our church that we’ve helped with the relief efforts thus far. We also are going to be handing out a promo card at our Fall hallelujah Festival. So I need some people to volunteer at the booth to sign up people in time slots, and give out information etc. I want to have a meeting before the Festival to go over all the details of how the day for the portraits will run, and we can line out all the areas that people will be used for.
I have already spoken to a couple different vendors that have been supportive and want to donate to these families. I just have to give them a detailed outline of what we need. So I also had the idea to do a Fundraiser/Raffle. I am in the process of talking to a canvas company to donate to this as well as a local lab. I don’t know if that will be enough to cover all the prints that we will need, so there comes in the Raffle. What I am thinking of doing is gathering together some more prizes to raffle off and then ask for donations even if its just one dollar, if we can tell everyone we know to give one dollar, we would have enough to get all these families a little book of there pictures and maybe a 8×10 or something to hang on there walls when they repair them and start over. I was initially just going to give a CD(Which we will also give), but I felt that wasn’t enough, how were they going to print it, will they ever? So I thought I wanted to be sure that they could actually have something to hang on there walls, something to start over with. So far I’ve had alot of positive feedback and I think this could be really touching to these families. So if you want to forward this on to someone who might be able to help donate, or to volunteer please do so. I would also like to eventually let people at the radio station the Fish know also that we are doing this because I know they’ve been working with alot of families in need, and may be able to let others know who might be of need. If you need to contact me, please use the contact link here on the blog or email me at info@katrinawheelerphotography.com .
I really hope that after its all said and done, we can see these families that have been so sad and destroyed by this flood, happy, when they see the beautiful portrait that we can give to them.
Please keep in mind, this is strictly a no cost event, we will not be compensated in any way, other then blessed by God to help these families out. Be aware that they will be given full rights to print and use these photos, all must be able to give all images taken for no cost.
You will be able to use these photos on your blogs, but no names will be able to be used. We will get release’s signed for there permission to use the photos.
I really am so excited, will you join me in giving back to these families in need? I will pray for God to touch the hearts of those who read this today. Thanks for your time,
Heres a scripture that really speaks of what this whole event is based on. Giving back.
2 Corinthians 8:11-14
“But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality,”
2 Corinthians 9:6-7
“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
In Christ,
Katrina Wheeler
Heres some recent pictures I took of the damage of the Floods of 2009 in Austell area.
These here are some of the members of our church that volunteered to “Gut” the houses.
There were piles and piles on every one of these streets.
So glad the American Red Cross helped out every day until yesterday, they served hot meals all day down every street!
Do you see the water line? That baskeball hoop is shorter then the line, its distorted due to where I was standing.
See that car? Well the garage was picked up, turned to the side(It use to open right in front of the car) And now it SITS on top of the car, see below.
Unreal, isn’t it!
Even the most beautiful homes were just ruined. The water line here is above the first floor.
Doesn’t matter how nice your car is
So sad!
This is something that really made me upset, all these people trying to get these people to spend thousands and thousands of dollars, ripping them off!
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