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/

The volunteers of OPR span the globe.

We have volunteers representing 44 different countries, territories or republics. In addition, OPR volunteers span across six of the seven continents (we’ll get you yet Antarctica).

Canada can boast the most volunteers with 61 followed by the UK with 43 and Australia with 36. Here’s the rest of OPR’s international roster (in no particular order):

The Netherlands, Argentina, Norway, Sweden, New Zealand, Romania, Germany, Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, China, France, Colombia, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Ukraine, Pakistan, Italy, South Africa, Chile, Korea, Iran, Dubai, India, Belgium, The Dominican Republic, Spain, Malta, Israel, Japan, Russia, Brazil, Finland, Peru, Malaysia, the Philippines, Iraq, Mexico, Guam and Macedonia.

It’s tremendous to see citizens from around the world put aside their political, religious and social beliefs in an effort to help their fellow human beings. The world is a better place through volunteers like these.

Thanks to each and everyone of you for the work that you are doing through OPR.