oneLOVE: a virgin voyage

I lost my wedding photographer virginity when shot my first wedding on the August long weekend of 2002, using a 1978 Pentax K1000 and a collector's dream 80's Topcon with autowinder.  The Pentax was loaded with B&W film and the Topcon with colour, and I took about 20 rolls of film, one of which was stolen as it was still loaded in the Topcon when my garage got broken into the night of the wedding.  Since then I've become very close friends with the entire family.  In fact, just last summer I shot the bride's little brother's beautiful wedding, and in a few more posts you'll get to meet J & J's beautiful daughter.

But right now I need to pause and talk about Mom. Viola has become a very special part of my family's life.  She's had her share of ups and downs in the past decade.  We've hung out with the family on too many occasions to count, sharing in the low times as well as the high ones, and this Saturday, Viola is about to embark on one of her greatest highs ever: she is going to skydive!!!

(I totally stole this from her FB profile and hope she won't kill me for it... no idea who gets photocred!)

Now, not one to do things in a small way - she is a perfectionist with an incredible eye for detail (if you need a wedding planner complete with her own personal talented caterer and wedding cake designer, she's your girl) and a heart about as big as the Grand Canyon - she is not just jumping for the sake of jumping.  A few years ago she did some soul-searching that led her to travel to Africa with a charity organization.  So, she is in fact jumping to raise funds for this cause very close to her heart.  Please take a minute to pledge her (please send an email to the administration so they can identify Viola D. as the recipient) and if you're bored this Sunday morning (Aug 22) join me and my family at the Eden North Drop Zone just outside of Onaway to watch the participants hurl themselves through the atmosphere and raise funds for Africa...

Be there by 9am so you don't miss it!