Operation Photo Rescue (OPR) is making plans to travel to Hummelstown,PA in the spring of 2012 to help residents whose photos were damaged by Tropical Storm Lee in September of last year. Anyone in the surrounding area with damaged photos is encouraged to bring them to the William H & Marian C Alexander Family Library in Hummelstown,PA on April 6-7, 2012.

Hours of operation will be:

• Friday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  Saturday: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Photos brought to the library need to be dry and removed from picture frames or albums. Those photos that cannot be extracted will still be copied, but the quality may suffer. Photos that are stuck together can be separated by soaking, but should first be tested  on a corner to see if the emulsion is stable enough to soak. Further instructions are are available on FEMA’s Website.

We are fortunate to have OPR volunteer, Katherine Arline, in Hershey, PA as our local contact. Because of the extensive flooding in Pennsylvania it was hard to pick the best location to have the copy
run. Thanks goes to Laurie Lane of The Dauphin County Library System for making the recommendation of the library meeting room in Hummelstown.

In the coming months we will be sending out press releases and flyers to announce our copy run. More information will be in our newsletter, Website, and on Facebook. So often at copy runs we hear locals tell us they didn’t know until the last minute about our coming and had they known they would have told their friends.

We are going all out this time to spread the word, but the greatest help will come from those of you who contact your friends and family via social media.

OPR is currently fundraising to help with the expenses of the trip to Hummelstown and also a return trip to Joplin, MO in May. We realize that times are tough now and money is short, but if you can spare a few dollars, please help: http://www.operationphotorescue.org/current-fundraiser/

For more information contact:

For a print ready flier to share and pass out “Download Here.”

Katherine Arline  kate@katherinearline.com (Hershey)

Margie Hayes  mhayes@operationphotorescue.org

Special Thanks: Mark Pynes, Director of Photography at The Patriot-News

Photo Credits:  Christine Baker, Sean Simmers, and Chris Knight at The Patriot-News

Margie Hayes ( OPR President)

As a child, I would have known the answer to that question and would never have had to think twice.The answer to what I would grab would always have been one particular photograph.

Now I have given several people copies to keep in case of a disaster, since you can’t tell when your life will be suddenly turned upside down.

I had a twin brother named Bruce. This was before IVF made twins almost commonplace. He died when we were almost five months old. In those months of our shared life there was only one photograph ever taken of us together, shot soon after our birth, still at the hospital. After he died, people didn’t mention Bruce much in my family. Although I was very shy as a child, whenever anyone said something, even just in passing, about our family having four children, I always stopped them and said no, five. We have five children in our family. FIVE.

I had custody of that one original photograph of both of us for as long as I can remember which is kind of odd for a child to have. Or maybe not, because I certainly did keep it safe.All of this was before scanners could be found in some homes.

Someone gave me a tiny inexpensive camera, for which I was so grateful. I tried to take pictures of the picture of us, but they didn’t turn out. If I was ever in an office of some kind, I tried to Xerox it: not good. I could not let it out of my sight, even when I was told that it could be reproduced with accuracy. This was my most precious possession.

It helped me with the fact that my twin was rarely mentioned. He had lived for months, but his life seemed forgotten. I swore I wouldn’t forget his short life. I hungered for some memory of him. When I asked questions about him I was told simply that he had died of “crib death.” For years I didn’t even know where his remains were (I do now, though). No one ever took me there.

I never had that sense of immortality that some people have. This was the person who shared the womb with me. If he could die, I certainly could. Sometimes I stared at the picture and wondered what he would have looked like. Would we be best friends? I felt almost certain that we would have had a unique bond.
If he had been forgotten, couldn’t I? Couldn’t anyone? The picture stayed with me and helped me deal with other bereavements.

That photo proved that he had existed, even if people preferred not to mention him. That photo somehow helped me know that I was alive.

Finally in the digital era I was able to get the original copied without it being taken away from me. I took it to a digital photo place, and insisted on accompanying the manager when he took it to the back to copy it. It never left my sight. Other people probably have pictures that are just as meaningful to them.

On the OPR website, I have seen obviously big events, like weddings, and graduations. But others are just as poignant, snapped in ordinary life, sometimes apparently taken with the casual certainty of another day. Snapped of just someone laughing; not just christenings, birthdays, milestones, but just a moment casually spent, shot with probable certainty that life would go on. Two people sitting on a couch, unaware they’d been photographed, people relaxing on a porch, dancing at a party–Sweet moments in life, and in my book, as important as the birthdays and so on.

And then everything is turned upside down.

I’ve read that fragments of photographs have been found over two hundred miles away from their homes. Compassionate people set up locations like in churches for those little pieces of memory, usually for people they never met, nor ever would meet. This kindness reminds me of the good part of humanity, of giving to other during what may be the worst single event of their lives, when that memory of a loved ones laughter, no matter how damaged, can be treasured even as a fragment.Other strangers then work for hours, for free, to help reconstruct that moment in that life before that must now seem so very dear, who sacrifice to help with no glory and very little press.

This should change. These amazing artists, the individuals who pick up that piece of paper off the road and find out who to give it to, these people in churches and elsewhere who collect the pieces of pictures, companies and libraries who provide space and supplies, all deserve to be celebrated. In frustrating times I like to think of all of them, with that—something—that is goodness that can be in people without reward or recognition.

I can only imagine my grief if a tornado or flood or earthquake had ripped my picture apart and distributed the pieces as if they were trash across hundreds of miles.

In this recession, there is so little “extra” income and so many good causes, it is hard to know who to give money or volunteer time to if you are able.

OPR is not flashy. I have rarely seen any publicity, and I think they deserve it, beyond any doubt, and deserve our donated time and dollars.

I have struggled with Cancer, Graft vs Host Disease due to bone marrow transplant, and now a rare auto-immune degenerative disease. My time is indescribably precious to me. Everyone’s time is precious to them: I may just be hyper-aware of it.

It is my choice and my honor to spend a little part of my time creating and donating artwork for OPR to auction for fundraising.
Photographs are just so important.
They remind us of where we come from.
They remind us of who we love.
And they remind us of who we are.

Written by Barbara C. Reed,
All rights reserved.

Barbara C. Reed is a former digital effects artist for Disney, and a photographer.

Joplin MO, June 4, 2011–The EF-5 tornado on May 22, tore a path through Joplin seven miles long and half a mile wide. FEMA is in the city to provide assistance to the disaster survivors. FEMA Photographers: Jace Anderson (front) and Steve Zumwalt.

Operation Photo Rescue is planning a copy run to Joplin, MO October 7-8 at the Joplin Public Library, 300 S. Main Street. The hours of operation will be 9 am to 6 pm Friday and Saturday.

A lot of planning has gone into finding a suitable place to hold the copy run. Thanks goes to Victoria Johnson, System & Web Administrator at Olin Library, Drury University, Springfield, MO. Victoria is OPR’s contact person and has worked tirelessly in promoting our event. Drury University print department donated printing for 200 OPR brochures. Randy Henderson, long time OPR volunteer and Victoria’s husband gave an interview to KSN TV and Randy’s real estate HendersonForHomes.com donated the cost of having OPR posters printed. See Interview

Originally it was planned to have the copy run at Missouri Southern State University and Wendy McCrane, Library Director, was gracious to offer us space. Unfortunately, due to school being back in session there was going to be problems of parking on Friday. Wendy and Victoria then contacted Jacque Gage Director of the Joplin Public Library to see if they might have a meeting room available for us in Octorber. Jacque was able to secure a meeting room and here is what he had to say: “It sounds like a GREAT project and I was really impressed by some of the ‘befores’ and ‘afters’ on their website!”

The EF-5 tornado that tore through Joplin on May 22 destroyed one third of the town and killed 159 people. Because of the scope of the destruction, OPR decided to move the date from September to October. Destruction from a tornado presents a different challenge to saving photos, because so many are blown miles from their home. In Joplin photos have been reported as far away as 218 miles. Immediately after the tornado, Angela Walters of Pryor, OK saw the need to rescue photos from the debris. She set up a Facebook account called: Lost Photos of Joplin and teamed up with the First Baptist Church of Carthade.  To read more about more about the race to save the photos, see Scattered Lives in the Joplin Globe. At the time of the article the photo count was 8,000 and now it stands at 16,000 plus.

Operation Photo Rescue is happy to be in partnership with Lost Photos of Joplin and the First Baptist Church in Carthage. Besides the church, people may also drop off found photos at any of the Southwest Missouri Bank locations. This photo project is the only one authorized by the City of Joplin to house the recovered photos.

Margie Hayes President
Operation Photo Rescue
mhayes@opeationphotorescue.org

Operation Photo Rescue will be sending a team of volunteers to Griffin, GA to help residents with damaged photos from the tornadoes of April 27, 2011 in Spalding County and surrounding areas. Operations will be set up at the Vaughn School Road Fire Station at 765 Vaughn School Road, Griffin, GA from Friday July 15 and Saturday July 16, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

Area resident with photos damaged by the tornadoes may bring up to 20 photos to be restored free of charge. Those images that can be repaired will be digitally copied and later restored, printed, and mailed back to the owners at no charge.

For additional information, please contact:
David Greenberg, (Copy Run Coordinator)

160 S. McDonough Rd.

Griffin, GA 30223

(770) 229-9905

David_gr@msn.com

OR

Margie Hayes (OPR President)

mhayes@operationphotorescue.org

For a video of the destruction:

U Tube Georgia Tornado, Lamar and Spalding County

Operation Photo Rescue Coming to Joplin, MO
El Dorado, KS.   May 27, 2011 — Operation Photo Rescue (OPR), a not-for-profit organization, will be offering assistance to the residents of Joplin whose photos have been damaged in the May 22, 2011 tornado. In the coming months, times and location will be decided upon for those to bring in their photos. OPR will send in a group of volunteers to digitally copy the damaged photos, they will be uploaded to a gallery for members to restore. Once done they will be printed, and send home free of charge. The original photos will stay with the owners.

OPR will be joining forces with the libraries in the state of Missouri to offer assistance to those hit by the tornado. Anyone needing more information may contact:

Victoria Johnson,B.A., M.F.A                            Margie Hayes (OPR President)

Olin Library, Drury University                           1355 E. 6th Ave

900 N. Benton, Springfield, MO 65802          El Dorado, KS 67042

417-873-7348                                                    mhayes@operationphotorescue.org

vjohnson@drury.edu

Photos that have gotten wet need to be dried out to prevent mold from further destroying the photo. Any photos in plastic sleeves in albums should have the photos removed to allow them to dry out and not become stuck permanently to the plastic. The best way to dry out photos is to place them in a well ventilated area away from direct sunlight.

Since OPR was founded in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in January 2006, the organization has grown into a network of over 2,000 volunteers. Volunteers come from all 50 states and from 49 other countries. OPR volunteers have restored and returned over 7,000 damaged photos to date for victims of hurricanes, floods, wildfires and other disasters.

“We’ve had an unbelievable outpouring of support from volunteers who have joined our cause from all over the world,” Dave Ellis said, Co-Founder of Operation Photo Rescue. “What started out as two people trying to make a small difference has turned into a global effort that has helped more people than we ever thought possible.”

When disaster strikes, people often try desperately to retrieve their family photos, Ellis said.    “Insurance doesn’t replace memories,” he said, “but we do.”
For additional information:
Operation Photo Rescue’s website: http://www.operationphotorescue.org/

This year OPR did only one copy run and that was to Nashville, TN. In terms of the numbers of photos brought back it was very successful. We helped 60 families and came back with over a 1,000 photos to be restored. The run was held at Belmont University and we were very fortunate to have a large number of students helping at the welcoming desk. I would like you to read what Autumn Allison, journalism student at Belmont, wrote about OPR’s visit.

Four months after the Nashville Flood, relief efforts are still in process, one of the non-profits continuing with aid is Operation Photo Rescue.

 On Sept 10 and 11, the Operation Photo Rescue team, including the president of the non-profit, Margie Hayes, came to Belmont’s campus and set up in University ministries. Sixty families came to get roughly 1,000 photos restored.

 “This is one of those things you think about when you’re older, what is the one thing you would want to get out of your house after a disaster . . .It’s photos, said Dr. Andi Stepnick, a sociology professor at Belmont University.

 For the most part, aid efforts focus on clean up and providing temporary shelter for victims to rebuild after the disaster. Operation Photo Rescue is different because it fixes valued possessions. Photos are some of the first things to be thrown out once the waters recede, but for many victims the treasured memories are too difficult to trash. Photo restoration allows victims to save pieces of their past while continuing the process of clean-up said Hayes.

 Just like any other Operation Photo Rescue event, the planning took several weeks to complete. However, Operation Photo Rescue Nashville almost didn’t happen. During the planning process, Stepnick and Hayes had problems finding a venue to hold the event.

 Stepnick contacted all the normal meeting places, like the Curb center lobby and the Beaman Student Life Center conference rooms, on Belmont’s campus to hold the event, but found out that each facility was already booked.

 “I guess with Belmont’s growth, all the usual meeting places are getting filled faster,” said Stepnick. “I started checking off the campus site but even the churches turned us down. We finally went to the University Ministries and they said “yes.”

 All of Stepnick’s persistence paid off in the end. Without Stepnick’s consistent work, Operation Photo Rescue Nashville would not have happened said Hayes.

 Throughout the two days, many of the victims shared their experience of the flood and stories behind the damaged photos.

 Alexa Colton, a Belmont senior and a new Operation Photo Rescue member, listened to all the stories and experiences which pull at the heartstrings.

 “They’re all so great the ones that struck out in my mind is one woman who baby and wedding photos of her son. She started crying and said: ‘I promised myself I wouldn’t cry’,” said Colton. Then she told me about her son that had died two months before the flood. All the photos brought with her were all she could salvage from the flood.”

 Other victims had similar stories and all expressed their gratitude for the restoration of treasured photos along with the volunteers who listened, cried and comforted them.

 “Based on the ones I personally helped, the people were extremely happy to see us. One lady donated $50 when she handed over her photos and another lady expressed her gratitude that Operation Photo Rescue came to Nashville when all the press seemed to be concentrating on the Gulf Coast and the BP disaster,” said Hayes. “We felt really welcomed and appreciated and I know that when families get their photos back they will be really thankful.”

 It’s Operation Photo Rescue’s treatment of victims that sets it apart. People are able to relate the volunteers and receive attention based on their needs.

 “There are so many instances that make each victim unique, all they want is someone to share it with,” said Stepnick.

Autumn Allison

Margie Hayes
OPR President

Photo Courtesy of Heather Snodgrass

Operation Photo Rescue will be headed to Nashville, TN on Sept 10-11 at Belmont University. Below is the press release being sent out.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Operation Photo Rescue to Send Volunteer Photo Restoration Team to Nashville, TN

El Dorado, KS August 11, 2010

Operation Photo Rescue (OPR), a global not-for-profit organization, is gathering a team of volunteers in Nashville, Tennessee to digitally copy family photos damaged during recent flooding.

Hosted by Belmont University, the OPR team will set up operations at the University Ministries office at 1900 Belmont Blvd on Friday September 10 and Saturday September 11, 2010. Hours of operation Friday and Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Any Nashville residents with photos damaged during 2010 flooding may bring in 20 images to be restored free of charge. Those images that can be repaired will be digitally copied and later restored, printed and mailed back to the image owners at no cost.

On Friday, guests will find reserved parking on the 6^th floor of the Curb Event Center parking garage. On Saturday, guests are welcome to park in any lot on campus.  Guests who need assistance may call 615-460-6617 for an officer to give them a ride from their vehicle to Universities Ministries.  University Ministries is located between the cafeteria and the Hitch Science Building.  (See #22 and 26 on the map).  These locations can be found on this map http://www.belmont.edu/campusmap/pdf/campusmap.pdf

Since OPR was founded in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in January 2006, the organization has grown into a network of over 2,000 volunteers. Volunteers come from all 50 states and from 49 other countries. OPR volunteers have restored and returned over 6,000 damaged photos to date for victims of hurricanes, floods, wildfires and other disasters.

“We’ve had an unbelievable outpouring of support from volunteers who have joined our cause from all over the world,” Dave Ellis said, Co-Founder of Operation Photo Rescue. “What started out as two people trying to make a small difference has turned into a global effort that has helped more people than we ever thought possible.”

When disaster strikes, people often try desperately to retrieve their family photos, Ellis said.

“Insurance doesn’t replace memories,” he said, “but we do.”

For additional information:

Contact: Greg Pillon, Office of Communications, Belmont University at (615) 460-6645, greg.pillon@belmont.edu

Or

Margie Hayes, Operation Photo Rescue President
Email: mhayes@operationphotorescue.org or info@operationphotorescue.org
website: http://www.operationphotorescue.org

See below for a map of Belmont University and the University Ministries

Margie Hayes

President OPR

mhayes@operationphotorescue.org

        (Photo Courtesy of Heather Snodgrass & Holly Ables)

Plans in Works for September Copy Run

Nashville, TN has taken a back seat to the disaster unfolding in the Gulf Coast, but the devastation there deserves more attention and help. Nashville suffered the worst flood in their history. The flooding was so widespread that few areas were spared. Over 13 inches of rain fell in a day and nine people lost their lives. The cost is now at 1.5 billion and climbing with 2,600 people homeless.

Also hit hard by the flooding was the Grand Ole Opry that had up to 6 ft of water covering the famed stage. To give you an idea of the damage and the efforts to help, click on Nashville Musicians.

Operation Photo Rescue (OPR) is currently in the planning stages for a copy run to take place in September. We were very fortunate to be contacted by Dr. Andi Stepnick, Associate Professor and Chair of Sociology, Belmont University, Nashville TN. I can’t thank Andi enough for the groundwork she is laying to help make this trip successful. She has been in contact with Carol Roberts, Director, Preservation Services Tennessee State Library & Archives. The hopes are that in September, OPR will be able to have the copy run at Belmont University.

As more information becomes available, check OPR’s website for the latest updates. Once we have a date firmed up, press releases will be going out. Equally important is for members to spread the word and if you know anyone in Nashville that could use our help, have them contact usat info@operationphotorescue.org.

Pictures speak louder than words and here is a gallery of photos from the flooding posted by The Tennessean newspaper online: Gallery Link.

Margie Hayes

mhayes@operationphotorescue.org

Operation Photo Rescue embodies the spirit of Christmas all year round. This past year has been amazing in what OPR has accomplished. We had three copy runs: Galveston, TX, Cedar Rapids, IA, and Austell, GA. All of these runs were funded by OPR volunteers and families whose photos we restored. When the letter went out asking for help, you responded immediately. Donations poured in from $2 to $1,000 and all of this during a bleak economy.

Others responded by helping on copy runs or restoring photos for the families. As new members signed on, a common thread as to why they wanted to join emerged—a desire to help others and wanting to use their skills for something worthwhile.

OPR owes so much to our sponsors: PhotoShelter and DigMyPics. It was great that this year I had had the chance to meet Scott Crossen, (co-owner DigMyPics) and his family: Annette, Corey, and Christine. You guys are wonderful!

Sometimes a special gift comes along that keeps on giving way past what you ever hoped for. That gift came from Jim Gage, The Weather Channel, and the video that aired on multiple times and days. Jim felt so strongly about what Operation Photo Rescue was doing that he made an exception by giving us a copy of the video. That video that appears on OPR’s website has touched so many. After an OPR member showed the video to a close friend, that friend was so moved that she promised a check in the mail for OPR. The check arrived a couple of weeks ago  made out for the amount of $5,000.

In Galveston, we will always value the friendship of Brian Davis and Jami Durham of the Galveston Historical Foundation. Every copy run is special, but this was one that I will never forget. Brian, offering to let us stay at the Menard House was a highlight of the trip! It was special to know that OPR could help in restoring priceless historical photos that had been damaged by Hurricane Ike. Early this week, I received this email from Jami:

“This is just wonderful. Words are not able to express my gratitude to you, to Jan and to the entire team at Operation Photo Rescue. You all restored so much more than photos. You will all hold a very special place in my heart forever. I can’t wait to see the photos and do hope they arrive before Christmas, but if they don’t, I have a wonderful surprise to take my mom early in the New Year! Thank you again, so very much. I wish you all the most wonderful holiday season ever! I’ll look forward to seeing you soon in Galveston, where I can give you a great big hug!”

This last year could not have happened without the inner team’s support: Dave, Angela, Jan, Hannie, Tess, Kiska, Becky, and John. Thanks so much for all that you do!

In closing I would like to wish you all a wonderful holiday season and thanks for all that you have given. For some I know this season is hard, because of your loss. George Hoover and David Davies our hearts are with you. Ray Norman, we will miss you Mate!

Margie Hayes