Hope Gala and THON '12 UPDATE

Super exciting news to report:  The Hope Gala (that I photographed a few weeks ago) raised an awesome $27,760 for the kids!  Here are a few of my favorite shots from the event.

Also, in related awesomeness, THON celebrated it's 40 year anniversary over the weekend by raising an inspiring $10,686,924.83 for the Four Diamonds Fund!!!  So proud of to be a PSU alum!  Congratulations to all involved!  FTK!!!

Please consider making a donation to help fight pediatric cancer!

As some of you know, I work frequently as a freelance photographer, and tonight I have the honor of shooting the Hope Gala, a Penn State alumni fundraiser for the Four Diamonds Fund, an amazing organization that raises money to not only fund pediatric cancer research but also to help families deal with the huge expense of caring for a child with cancer.   Please consider making a donation to this incredibly important organization here.

On a personal note, it's been a rough year to be a Penn State alum.  Sandusky's inexcusable and horrific actions against children shocked and disgusted our community.  The we lost Joe Paterno, and quickly after taking our time to be furious with him for not doing more to protect children from Sandusky, there was the complex task of how to mourn his death.  No person is one thing, and cannot be defined by one decision or one action, so after his death, many of us chose to put aside that anger and mourn the man many of us would like to remember him as.  What has continued to frustrate me throughout the Penn State scandal has been the affect it has had on student fundraising efforts for the Four Diamonds Fund.  THON, a dance marathon fundraiser for the Four Diamonds fund, is one of, if not the largest student philanthropy in the world.  We raise millions of dollars for cancer research and treatment each year to help make a dent in the enormous cost of caring for children with cancer in Pennsylvania. THIS is the face of the university many Penn State students and alum wish those not lucky enough to be part of the Penn State family would recognize.  Please consider making a donation here for the kids, or as we say, FTK.