YPIKIDS WEB SITE.. being updated

With this year's Dempsey Challenge fast approaching I am painfully aware of my failure to update our web site with the final photos and information for the 2013 YPIKIDS Project Tomorrow. My apologies to all who participated in the program and to those who sponsored it. My goal is to have the update done by the end of October.

In the meantime I wanted to share with you the group picture that was taken with Patrick Dempsey last year on the day of The Dempsey Challenge.

STANDING: Tookie Bright (The Healing Tree), Jennifer Bolduc, Francesca Haines, Patrick Dempsey,  Alexis Bolduc, Merilyn Haines,  Paul Denckla (YPIKIDS)
KNEELING: Cherie Sargent, Alicia Gonzales, Nicole Sargent, Chelsey Gonzales
NOT IN ATTENDANCE: Sarah & Darren Paul, Roberto Gonzales, David Haines, Barbara Gagne & Anthony Guimont, Eric & Crystal O'Connor, Josiah & Liz Cushman

I want to say to all of the Young Photographers who participated in the 2013 YPIKIDS Project Tomorrow... JOB WELL DONE! And to all who contributed to the project on behalf on the Board and myself, a heart felt ... THANK YOU!

2013 YPIKIDS PROGRAM nears FINALE

The Grand Finale Exhibition will be held on Friday October 11 in conjunction with The Dempsey Challenge. Ahead of the Exhibition there will be an Opening celebration on Thursday's night for the Young Photographers, their families and friends. There are some GREAT photos that were taken by them.


... and as an added bonus they will have the opportunity to meet with Patrick Dempsey in person during the weekend festivities.

2013 YPIKIDS PROGRAM UNDERWAY

The Class for the 2013 Young Photographers was held at The Dempsey Center on June 22. The were eight participants and various family members in attendance.

The Class of 2013 with Parents and siblings

Tookie Bright, the Children's Program Coordinator for The Healing Tree and I hosted the event.

The primary focus of the morning was about "being in the moment" and how photography enabled one to "capturing a moment". Participants did several floor exercises to increase their awareness of "the moment". In one a parent and child were seated facing one another. One was assigned the role of Leader and the other was the Follower... so whatever action was initiated by one the other had to follow. And this was all done to music that was played at various temps. A lot of smiles and laughter.




After a photo op for all the participants and lunch, I reviewed some of the basics of portrait photography with the participants. Then, Holga 120 cameras were passed out to all. The camera is basically a plastic toy camera that shoots 120 FILM, This is NOT a digital camera. The participants were given one roll of film with 12 exposures and two weeks to shoot it. Their Portrait Assignment was:

"An image is forever. Capture an image of your parent TODAY that will inspire you to remember what is special about who he/she is TOMORROW". 

None of the paarticipants will see the images they took until The Exhibition opens the Friday night of the weekend of The Dempsey Challenge in October.

In the meantime I have visited each family and taken a portrait of each parent and child. It has been a very moving experience for me and I very excited to see the products of the Young Photographers efforts.

Video for 2007 YPIKIDS Program posted

Thanks to the Google Drive program we have been able to post the YPIKIDS video that was filmed by WCSH6 on the Opening Night for the 2007 Program on  the website. Take a look, they did a GREAT job... and so did the "young photographers".

2013 YPIKIDS PROGRAM SET TO GO!

It is with GREAT pleasure that I announce that YPIKIDS will be partnering with the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing  in Lewiston, ME for the 2013 program.

The Dempsey Center provides free support,  education  and integrative medical services to anyone with cancer.

Nine children will be selected by the staff to participate- with the class being held in June and the Exhibition in October in conjunction with the Dempsey Challenge. Like the program with Massachusetts General Hospital's Cancer Center, they will all be children whose parents are fighting the battle against cancer.

All our attention is now being focused on raising the funds for the program. Please visit this  YPIKIDS web site page if you are interested in helping with this effort and thank you for your consideration.

SOMETIMES THINGS JUST DON'T WORK OUT THE WAY YOU ANTICIPATED...

Sadly, about a month ago the Children’s Community Support Collaborative (CCSC), which is the group that YPI KIDS was working with at The Home for Little Wanderers, withdrew from the 2010 YPI KIDS Project Tomorrow. A variety of unanticipated issues surfaced during the project. As an example, by the end of the week of July 7th, which was the film due date, only three Participants had turned in the roll of film and none had completed the Subject Selection Questionnaire, both of which integral parts of the program.

Obviously, there were many other factors and events that contributed to this situation. As the Director of the CCSC program said to me during one of our discussions before they reached their final decision, “Believe me when I tell you that they have many, many other issues that occupy their thoughts / attention”. And that pretty much says it all. They were a great group of kids and I am indeed saddened by the fact that we were unable to pull it off.

In hindsight I would say that the single biggest underlying problem was that the Participants did not have the type of “hands-on” support and encouragement from their parents/guardians that others had in prior YPI KIDS programs. I had limited access to the children and there were only two counselors, no parents, involved and they had a significant number of other responsibilities at CCSC.

While the turn of events was unfortunate, it was a valuable lesson learned and one that will certainly help in the selection process for a candidate for our 2011 YPI KIDS program. The good news is that we received a tremendous amount of financial support in our fund raising efforts. I was very fortunate to have a family step up as a “Sponsor” for about half the funds needed for the project. In addition we received support from a broad range of people who had just heard about the program recently.

As we get into the fall, I will once again start the search for an institution to work with in 2011. If any of you have any suggestions, I would welcome them. For the present time I am going to continue to focus on the Boston area.

Once again I want to thank my Board, Alison Chase a very talented lady who so kindly volunteered her time to come and teach the class in June with me and all those who contributed financially to this year's project. To the six special children who signed up for the project, we gave it our best shot and wish you all the best of luck with your treatment program at CCSC.

MARCH is FUND RAISING TIME for YPI KIDS

Funds are needed for the 2010 Project with The Home for Little Wanderers to cover the costs of cameras and film, posters, the printing, framing and shipping of all images and the Preview Party to be held at the Copley Mall in October. Simply go to the DONATE tab on the website. And on behalf of the children we will be working with...THANK YOU!