PMDA Portraits Of Love

Independent Photo Imagers Partners with PMDA/Soldiers’ Angels Portraits of Love Project

HENDERSON, NV—July 1, 2009—Independent Photo Imagers (IPI), the nation’s largest buying group for service specialty retailers has partnered with the Photo Manufacturers and Distributors Association’s (PMDA) Soldiers’ Angels Portraits of Love project. IPI urges its members to participate in this volunteer effort, which is working to photograph 10,000 soldier’s families this September and mail photographic prints to both the families in the U.S. and the deployed soldiers around the world by the holidays.

The PMDA has teamed with the Soldiers’ Angels volunteer organization to create the PMDA/Soldiers’ Angels Portraits of Love Project. PMDA has designated the month of September to set up photo shoots of soldiers’ families in specific cities, on military bases and in other locations across the country. The dedicated website, www.pmdaportraitsoflove.com is where the images will be uploaded, printed and, with the help of Soldiers’ Angels, final portraits will be shipped to the soldier’s overseas and to the families here in the U.S.

“IPI is extremely proud to be a supporter of PMDA’s Soldier’s Angels Portraits of Love”, said Brent Bowyer, Executive Director of IPI. “As experts in the field of photography, our members are ideally suited to help provide photographic support and spread the word about this charitable program,” Bowyer stated.

“The PMDA is pleased to join with Soldiers’ Angels to support our troops during the holiday season,” said Jerry Grossman, President, PMDA. “With the help of IPI members, we will be able to offer locations to soldiers’ families across the country where they can have their portraits taken, and sent to their loved one overseas in time for the holidays. We applaud IPI’s commitment to this important endeavor.”

IPI members are encouraged to participate in the PMDA Soldier’s Angels Portraits of Love project. Interested member photographers may sign up via the website www.PMDAportraitsoflove.com, where they will be asked to input their business information, which will become of part of a national database of participating photographers. IPI members who don’t have the capabilities to perform photography can also help spread the word in their communities.

About Independent Photo Imagers

Independent Photo Imagers (IPI) is the nation’s largest buying group for service specialty retailers. With over 550 members and in excess of 750 storefront locations in the United States, Mexico, Canada and Australia, IPI members are the leaders in the network of image capture and image archiving businesses worldwide. (www.ipiphoto.com)

About PMDA

PMDA was founded in 1939 to promote the benefits of photography and to foster mutually beneficial contact between manufacturers and distributors of photographic products and services. PMDA is also the governing organization overseeing both The Photographic Information Council (PIC) and the Photo Information Booth (PIB) both of which extend PMDA’s reach in the general promotion of the awareness and value of consumer photographic imaging. (www.pmda.com)

About Soldier’s Angels

Soldier’s Angels is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization founded in March 2003. “May no soldier go unloved” is the organization’s mission. Soldier’s Angels was founded by Patti Patton-Bader, the mother of two U.S. soldiers. Soldier’s Angels send cards and care packages to soldiers stationed away from home; adopt soldiers; knit blankets for wounded soldiers; plant trees in the name of fallen soldiers, and more. (www.soldiersangels.org)