Community Giving and My Photography

Community Giving. I am blessed to have a great day job at Symantec and photography is my passion and growing side venture. Giving back to the community has been very important to me and Sunnyvale Community Services (SCS) is a fantastic organization where I donate a portion of proceeds (with Symantec match) as well as annually donating a print to their auction. SCS provides financial aid, food, toys at Christmas and emergency assistance to low-income families and seniors facing crises in the Sunnyvale area. Their annual auction took place a couple of weeks ago raising $40K in less than 90 minutes. My "Sunset on Half Dome from Glacier Point" I donated raised $550! If you want to give toys, $$ or food to SCS, please look on their website. The folk’s needs that they provide for continue to grow at an exponential rate in this challenging economy. Consider this or other organizations like this especially around the holidays.

Sunnyvale Community Services benefit Auction

As some of you may know, I donate a portion of portion of my proceeds to Sunnyvale Community Services - an organzation here in Sunnyvale that provides food and assistance to people in need. It really is an amazing organization! They provide so much good in the community especially during hard economic times like these. I highly recommend you take a look at what they do or contribute to help yourself. Nancy Tivol is the director of the organization and has created a real model of success for a non-profit and voluteer based organization. Donating from proceeds from my artwork is a way that I can give back to my local community (and my real job employer, Symantec, matches my contributions!)

Sunnyvale Community Services held their annual auction Thursday night. It it a great event put on with many local community leaders and the Sunnyvale Chamber of Commerce. This year I donated a framed photograph titled the "Last Images of the Grant Road Farm" that was auctioned off. That really brought back memories for many people who remembered the pumpkin farm and Christmas tree sales they would do there. It is truly one of the last farms in silicon valley.

Sunnyvale Community Services is starting up their Community Christmas Center to provide gifts and food for local folks for the holidays.

I am glad to be able to share my gifts and give back to the community in many ways.
Enjoy!
John

Silicon Valley Open Studios 2008 Finished!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by this weekend and for those who weren't able to make it, I will be having other viewings. It was QUITE the busy weekend with about 150 stopping through on the two days! The official launch of John Harrison Photography is on its way! For those that missed it, I had over 30 pieces on display (very NICELY displayed, courtesy of Master framers and designers, Darlene and Nelson Frick). The filoli flower cards and new shoe garden cards were a hit!!

As I had stated, I will be donating 10% of proceeds to Sunnyvale Community Services with a 1-1 match from Symantec. For orders that are still coming in, I will include that match. This is a fantastic organization and they do quite a bit to support the Sunnyvale area.

My Mom came out for the event and it was great having her here! (thanks Mom!). Special thanks also out to my wife (Mary) and kids. I could NOT have done it without them. Everyone has been extremely supportive in launching this new venture.

It was really nice just being able to show people some of my work, see friends and meet new people as well.

So onto the next event!

My next shoot is the Grand Tetons in a few weeks and then I am getting ready for the Filoli exhibition in June.

Enjoy!