Greater Lowell Empty Bowls Fundraiser

When I come across an event that supports a mission I believe in and care deeply about, my first thought is always, "How can I help?" I have hands and a heart like everyone else, but this gift of photography seems to be a unique talent that I can offer to help tell a story through imagery, so I volunteer it whenever I really believe it will help make a difference.


In the case of Greater Lowell Empty Bowls, I knew that because this was the first year, it would need to be thoroughly documented in order to provide a sense of the overall experience for people who've never been. Being able to see what the event is like in advance can help people feel comfortable knowing what to expect, which reduces the anxiety of going to a new event where you may not know anyone.


The "empty bowls" were donated by many different people- some were handmade by artists, some were bowls that had never been used from someone's home, some were cute, some were funky, some were simple, and some were crazy. The most unique bowls were definitely the first to be selected and taken home.



I think my favorite part was looking at the bowls people had selected for themselves and wondering what it might have meant to them. ;-)






Once the bowls were selected, people camped out at tables throughout the room and enjoyed unlimited cups of gourmet soups donated by local businesses and organizations specializing in culinary arts. Most people stayed for nearly two hours, meeting other people at a shared table, or just sharing some quality time with family.












Additional funds were raised through a "Chinese Auction" where raffle tickets were sold and buyers could place raffle tickets in bags for items that they wanted. Raffle winners were selected for each item by pulling a ticket from the bag. In the past, I've donated a gift certificate for my services for this kind of auction, but I still have yet to hear from anyone who "won" me, so I decided that my services are best donated by actually documenting the event itself. However, for things like Spinners game tickets, or a jewelry piece, it seems to be a great way to "win" something wonderful.



In the end, all of the money and efforts were going to a great cause - Living Waters Lowell and the Hunger/Homeless Commission of Lowell.




The entire event was made possible because ONE person named Patti, thought it would be a great fundraiser to help strengthen and educate the community about the needs of others within our community. Her effort, combined with the support of a few friends and businesses, made the entire event possible. It's amazing what we can do if we simply decide that we can, and we put in the effort to make it happen. Thank you to everyone who put in the effort and time to help strengthen our community by giving back to those in need.




In the future I hope to spend more time documenting how these funds are used and to tell the stories of those who are helped by efforts like these.

(Technical notes, because these images are being hosted on facebook, some image quality and brightness may be reduced from the original images. To see more from the event, simply click on an image.)

Get Mentored & Save Lives

*Please note this auction has ended. Thanks to all who participated in the bidding- even if you didn't win, you helped donate more to Thirst Relief by simply participating! If you'll be at WPPI, I can't wait to see you there! Watch PhotoLovecat.com for the Early Bird Happy Hour event! To my winning bidder- thank you so much for your generous donation to bettering the health of our planet! Your winning donation will provide clean water for 225 people!! That's amazing!

The Thirst Relief Mentor Auction is one of my favorite fundraisers to participate in because it creates a win-win-win situation for all involved. The bidder gets a great mentor for a donation that saves lives, the mentor gets to meet someone who cares about the world at large and help strengthen them in their pursuit of living a passionate life, and Thirst Relief gets the funding they need to deliver clean water to areas of greatest need. Watch the video below to learn more about how Thirst Relief uses your donation:

The auction ends tonight.

I'm participating as a mentor again this year, and I'm offering a year of mentoring ($1200 value) to help you define, refine, and move forward in whatever ways you need to this year. I've seen my mentees from previous years flourish and thrive after our time together, and while I know they did the hard work on their own, sometimes it was just a little bit of encouragement and advice that helped unlock the door they needed to walk through to get to the next step in their business.

Here are a few of the ways in which I've helped mentor others:
- Edited portfolios to showcase the most unique and highest quality work
- Defined unique branding elements that reflect an artist's individual tastes
- Identified niche markets and opportunities to strengthen presence in those markets
- Streamlined email communications by establishing appropriate filters for content
- Organized and created life + business calendars that reflect larger priorities
- Reorganized pricing structures to work with individual sales style preferences
- Set up pricing structures to increase profitability and exceed revenue goals
- Advised businesses and non-profits on social media and direct mail marketing campaigns that increased revenue and client/patron engagement
- Set daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly goals to help keep businesses moving forward and focusing on the larger goals to prioritize everyday tasks
- Helped businesses identify appropriate outsourcing solutions based on needs
- Revitalized two different failing businesses by creating sustainable systems

If you'd like my help with any of the above, or more, click on the image below:

IMPORTANT TIP:

There are MANY amazing mentors in this auction, so if you get outbid above your budget (and yes, I believe we should have budgets for our giving), take those dollars you were willing to donate for one person's time and donate it to another!! Just because you don't know them, doesn't mean they don't have something amazing to offer- the world works in mysterious ways and you may just end up with someone perfect for you! To see all the mentors by alphabetical order, which is also the order in which the auctions end [CLICK HERE]!

Cabaret Show Fundraiser - The Miracle Providers NorthEast

On Saturday evening I had the joy of seeing my first FULL Cabaret Show done by the Miracle Providers NorthEast. The theme was Fairytales & Fantasies, and WOW. Just, WOW. It was an INCREDIBLE show. The costumes were AMAZING, the makeup was phenomenal, the dancing was insane, and the lights, sound, and set made the Lowell Elks Lodge look like a fabulous cabaret club. I was in awe for most of the performance but still managed to take some photos from the back of the room behind the crowd (no flash, mostly 135mm, 1600 ISO, f/2.0 - 2.8, 1/160th sec, tungsten white balance, captured in large JPG.) They did a great job of performing in the round, and the set up allowed everyone to have a fairly intimate experience with the performers as they roamed the room. The best part of the evening is knowing that almost all of the proceeds go to benefit families and children who are affected by HIV/AIDS. If you're interested in volunteering for a show or any other events, please visit: http://miracleprovidersne.org

Here are some of my personal favorites from the evening:













































Next time I'm going to have to buy my ticket in advance to secure prime seating so I can get even better images!! To view the full slideshow of 197 images, click play below: