The "Leica for AICR" Initiative Starts Today!
As my life marches on, seemingly blissfully unaware of my feelings for it's pace (I'm old enough to be disgruntled), in recent years I've become somewhat shocked at the number of friends and family struck down by cancer. I won't lie, it was actually starting to alarm me early last year. It just seemed like so many people I knew were being diagnosed with cancer, or dying from it. It almost hit home hard a few years ago, but turned out to be a something non life-threatening, thankfully. I'm leaving "hit home" open to ambiguity (because this is not Facebook).
While I'm sure most of you have donated to a worthy medical cause in the past, I've decided to help promote Leica Camera's latest charity drive in support of the Association for International Cancer Research (AICR), which was launched publicly today. They have a number of initiatives on the go, that give you an opportunity to contribute and show your support.
Firstly, one that will cost you nothing, is to start following them on Twitter. If you don't have a Twitter account, get one. Then simply follow @Leica_Camera. It's. one. click. Leica are donating €0.50 for every new follower of @Leica_Camera. When they reach 10,000 followers on Friday July 9th, they'll donate an additional €1,000 to AICR! If you already follow @Leica_Camera on Twitter, like me, simply tweet the following to help spread the word.
“Help AICR by following @Leica_Camera! Every follower = €.50 donation. 10K followers in 1 week = extra €1,000 donation! #Leica4AICR”.
Next, if getting someone else to donate €0.50 leaves you feeling a little empty inside, then why not buy a copy of "The Leica User Forum Charity Book 2010" which features 143 photographs taken by 101 different Leica photographers, members of the International Leica User Forum. Proceeds from you buying the book go to the UK-based AICR. So far they've raised €9,000 from sales of the book alone. Even if you don't know anyone affected by cancer, donating could contribute to a cure that may one day save your own life. We all have bills to pay, and I seldom give out money to people collecting on street corners because it's just a faff, but I try to donate every other month to one cause or another, even if it's just £20. I think it's a good habit to get into.
If you're a photographer, or hey, even if you're not, join the Leica Facebook Group, and show your support by entering their Facebook photo contest, by dedicating a photo to the "Leica for AICR" initiative on Leica's Wall on Facebook for a chance to get your photograph featured as the Leica profile picture on Facebook! Each week during July there'll be a different theme for competition entries to try and win at. So there's at least one week for everyone!
Here's how to enter:
1. Place the ‘Leica for AICR’ badge below onto a photo to match the week’s theme. I'm sure you saw the example at the top of this post.
1. Place the ‘Leica for AICR’ badge below onto a photo to match the week’s theme. I'm sure you saw the example at the top of this post.
2. Upload the photo with the badge to the Leica’s Wall on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/LeicaCamera).
3. Write the theme and ‘Leica for AICR’ as the text to accompany the picture on the Wall post. For example, ‘People submission for Leica for AICR’.
(To place the ‘Leica for AICR’ badge on a photo, copy the badge below. Open the photograph you’d like to submit in a photo editing program like Photoshop, Preview or Paint. Paste the badge somewhere on the photo. Save the image to your desktop and then upload it to Leica’s Wall on Facebook.)
Themes: Upload your themed picture during these dates:
People Wednesday, June 30- Sunday, July 4
Nature and Wildlife Monday, July 5 – Sunday, July 11
Landscape Monday, July 12 – Sunday, July 18
Architecture Monday, July 19 – Sunday, July 25
Sport and Leisure Monday, July 26 – Saturday, July 31
Fans can enter as many photos as they’d like. The deadline to enter each week is on Sunday at midnight PT. Winning photographs featured on Leica’s profile picture on Facebook will be selected by Leica employees. The winners will be announced on the Monday following that’s week’s submission deadline.
3. Write the theme and ‘Leica for AICR’ as the text to accompany the picture on the Wall post. For example, ‘People submission for Leica for AICR’.
(To place the ‘Leica for AICR’ badge on a photo, copy the badge below. Open the photograph you’d like to submit in a photo editing program like Photoshop, Preview or Paint. Paste the badge somewhere on the photo. Save the image to your desktop and then upload it to Leica’s Wall on Facebook.)
Themes: Upload your themed picture during these dates:
People Wednesday, June 30- Sunday, July 4
Nature and Wildlife Monday, July 5 – Sunday, July 11
Landscape Monday, July 12 – Sunday, July 18
Architecture Monday, July 19 – Sunday, July 25
Sport and Leisure Monday, July 26 – Saturday, July 31
Fans can enter as many photos as they’d like. The deadline to enter each week is on Sunday at midnight PT. Winning photographs featured on Leica’s profile picture on Facebook will be selected by Leica employees. The winners will be announced on the Monday following that’s week’s submission deadline.
