Christmas season means a few things, such as sweaters, hot chocolate, family, Christmas trees, lights and, of course, giving. Many professional photographers in Searcy will spend one of their few December Saturdays giving back. They are teaming up and putting together an event called Help-Portrait: Searcy.
Former Harding student and current employee Jon Yoder, coordinator of the Searcy Help-Portrait group, said it is a simple idea of finding someone in need, taking his or her portrait, printing it and giving it to people who otherwise could not afford to have a self-portrait.
Help-Portrait is an event that photographers in cities all over the world participate in. Yoder said that the idea came from Nashville, Tenn., photographer Jeremy Cowart, who popularized the idea in 2009. More than 10,000 photographers around the world have already participated in Help-Portrait.
The program is a way for professional photographers to give back to those in need in their communities. The focus is on helping families or people who do not have a way or the money to get a professional photo of them.
“We are doing this to encourage and build relationships with the community here in Searcy” Yoder said.
The event will take place Dec. 10 at Fellowship Bible on Beebe-Capps from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Not only will the photographers be taking portraits, they will also be serving food and visiting with the community members who come in.
“This has been a community effort with photographers, organizations, businesses and volunteers coming together to make this a reality,” Yoder said.
The photographers said they are hoping that there will be a good turn out and that the community will be encouraged by the food, socializing and photos.
Yoder is hoping Help-Portrait: Searcy becomes a yearly event for the community to look forward to and enjoy.
