My photo
Otsego, Minnesota, United States
This is the place to view recent images that I photographed and to learn a few things about me. All images are copyrighted by Katie Raivala Photography.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

I recently became a member of a worldwide organization called Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS). This organization provides free child bereavement portraits to families that are loosing a child or that has recently lost a child.

Yesterday I attended a training course that outlined what to expect during a session, how to prepare for one and many other important areas of the program. It was really a mind opening experience. A few times during the training session I looked around at the other 20+ people that were attending it and I started to wonder why did they choose to become a volunteer photographer for NILMDTS.

For me it started when I was a teenager and came across some images that my mother took of my sister Tammy after she had passed away. I remember my mom telling me that a local department store had lost the images, the only images of her little girl, and how she kept calling them over and over again for a long time until the images were miraculously found. Those are probably the most cherished images that my mother has.

Photographers: During the training course yesterday it became very obvious to me that more volunteer photographers are needed, especially in the north metro area. Please consider volunteering with NILMDTS. It is probably the most cherished memories we can ever give someone.

Everyone: Please help us educate our community about this organization so that more parent's can have beautiful portraits of their children. For many, it will be the only images that they will have.

1 comment:

AngieSamm said...

Katie you are such an amzing person I didnt know you lost your sister...I feel bad.

I will b elooking into this and be volunteering also thank you for sharing.

Angie Platt