Article on Volunteering

[Guest guest]

Hey everyone,

My son and I were featured in an article in Event DV magazine (digital

video).

It's about volunteering and I talk alittle about autism.

Visit the link for the full article.... They interviewed 4 people overall.

Also on the webpage is a picture of the two of us.

http://www.eventdv.net/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=11679

Volunteer Videography

By Drenk - Posted Jul 28, 2006

  

When Heeren moved to Virginia Beach in 1993, she met the family of

a child who had autism. Through that family, Heeren gained experience as a

baby-sitter, a therapist, and an aide, and she thought about returning to

college to become a special education teacher. Her love of event videography

led her back into video work instead, but Heeren thought, " Maybe one day

I'll do videos for autism. "

Shortly thereafter, Heeren married a sailor in the U. S. Navy. When her

husband was sent overseas, Heeren moved back to New York, where she started

Lighthouse Studios and raised their baby boy. In March 2002, when their son

was two-and-a-half, he was diagnosed with autism.

Through the internet Heeren found that there were conferences that could

provide information she wanted for her son, but she couldn't afford the

travel costs and conference fees. Volunteer videography provided a solution

that benefited her and the autism groups. " I called up the organizers and

asked if I could attend for free, " Heeren says. " In return they would get

photos and video of their event. It was a win-win situation for everyone. I

was able to go and get information for my son and myself, and they got

footage. "

Volunteer videography is changing lives through projects ranging from school

plays to international ministries. Videographers are donating their time and

talent, sometimes for the cost of materials and expenses, other times for no

money at all. Though these volunteer efforts lack direct monetary reward,

the volunteers find professional benefits that advance their careers and

heighten their stature in unexpected ways. I spoke with four volunteers who

talked about their experiences and gave advice about doing volunteer

videography.

Sometimes it's Personal

For Heeren, the biggest benefit of volunteer videography has been

the ability to support a cause that has great personal significance for her.

She has filmed press conferences, protests, rallies, and meetings that no

one else has recorded. Footage Heeren shot of a Washington, D. C. rally was

included in a story about autism on NBC's Dateline, and her photos of the

event were published in Mothering magazine, Autism Perspective magazine, and

a medical journal.

" I have been able to document the movement to make vaccines safer and

improve the lives of people with autism, so it's been really worthwhile. "

Heeren says. " I've also produced a couple of educational videos that I sell

at cost to schools and nonprofits all around the country. My videos have

been shown to educate people about autism and raise money for various

charities. "

Heeren has made valuable contacts as well. " It has allowed me unique access

to a lot of people and events. For example, I volunteer for my local

democratic committee, " says Heeren. " I've had the opportunity to meet

Senators Clinton and Schumer, New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer,

in addition to many of the local politicians. Volunteering my time has

enabled me to form relationships with politicians and their staff. Just the

other day a state assemblyperson saw me at an event and asked for my help on

an autism issue. That would not have happened had I not been there

shooting. "

Into the Fire

Heeren's advice to other videographers is to find something that's

meaningful to them before committing to do volunteer work in any particular

area. " If your heart's not in it and you're there for the wrong reasons,

you're not going to enjoy it and it's not going to be beneficial for

anybody, " she says. " So pick something that's interesting to you. If you had

a grandmother who died from cancer, work for the cancer society. If your

neighbor's kid has MS, do something for MS. Do something that you have a

connection to, because you'll care about it, you'll put more effort into it,

and you'll find the meaning in it. "

Why Volunteer?

Volunteering can immerse you in the sad and tragic events in the world, but

it can be about joy as well. There is the joy of helping people and making

their lives better. " When I give of myself and volunteer, I always feel I

get something back from it, " Heeren says. " Sometimes it's with a paying job,

other times it's the satisfaction of knowing I've helped a community. To be

able to combine my two loves, my son and video production, gives me such a

sense of purpose. "

-

ps- If you wish to send comments to the magazine- I found this email

address online

Dan Huggins Associate Publisher

2350 Holland Ave. Clovis, CA 93611

tel: 559/246-6793 fax: 559/292-1048

email: dhuggins@...

[Guest guest]

Wow ..this is so great!!

>

> Hey everyone,

>

> My son and I were featured in an article in Event DV magazine (digital

> video).

> It's about volunteering and I talk alittle about autism.

>

> Visit the link for the full article.... They interviewed 4 people

overall.

> Also on the webpage is a picture of the two of us.

>

> http://www.eventdv.net/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=11679

>

> Volunteer Videography

>

> By Drenk - Posted Jul 28, 2006

>

> When Heeren moved to Virginia Beach in 1993, she met the

family of

> a child who had autism. Through that family, Heeren gained

experience as a

> baby-sitter, a therapist, and an aide, and she thought about

returning to

> college to become a special education teacher. Her love of event

videography

> led her back into video work instead, but Heeren thought, " Maybe one day

> I'll do videos for autism. "

>

> Shortly thereafter, Heeren married a sailor in the U. S. Navy. When her

> husband was sent overseas, Heeren moved back to New York, where she

started

> Lighthouse Studios and raised their baby boy. In March 2002, when

their son

> was two-and-a-half, he was diagnosed with autism.

>

> Through the internet Heeren found that there were conferences that could

> provide information she wanted for her son, but she couldn't afford the

> travel costs and conference fees. Volunteer videography provided a

solution

> that benefited her and the autism groups. " I called up the

organizers and

> asked if I could attend for free, " Heeren says. " In return they

would get

> photos and video of their event. It was a win-win situation for

everyone. I

> was able to go and get information for my son and myself, and they got

> footage. "

>

> Volunteer videography is changing lives through projects ranging

from school

> plays to international ministries. Videographers are donating their

time and

> talent, sometimes for the cost of materials and expenses, other

times for no

> money at all. Though these volunteer efforts lack direct monetary

reward,

> the volunteers find professional benefits that advance their careers and

> heighten their stature in unexpected ways. I spoke with four

volunteers who

> talked about their experiences and gave advice about doing volunteer

> videography.

>

> Sometimes it's Personal

>

> For Heeren, the biggest benefit of volunteer videography

has been

> the ability to support a cause that has great personal significance

for her.

> She has filmed press conferences, protests, rallies, and meetings

that no

> one else has recorded. Footage Heeren shot of a Washington, D. C.

rally was

> included in a story about autism on NBC's Dateline, and her photos

of the

> event were published in Mothering magazine, Autism Perspective

magazine, and

> a medical journal.

>

> " I have been able to document the movement to make vaccines safer and

> improve the lives of people with autism, so it's been really

worthwhile. "

> Heeren says. " I've also produced a couple of educational videos that

I sell

> at cost to schools and nonprofits all around the country. My videos have

> been shown to educate people about autism and raise money for various

> charities. "

>

> Heeren has made valuable contacts as well. " It has allowed me unique

access

> to a lot of people and events. For example, I volunteer for my local

> democratic committee, " says Heeren. " I've had the opportunity to meet

> Senators Clinton and Schumer, New York State Attorney General Eliot

Spitzer,

> in addition to many of the local politicians. Volunteering my time has

> enabled me to form relationships with politicians and their staff.

Just the

> other day a state assemblyperson saw me at an event and asked for my

help on

> an autism issue. That would not have happened had I not been there

> shooting. "

>

> Into the Fire

>

> Heeren's advice to other videographers is to find

something that's

> meaningful to them before committing to do volunteer work in any

particular

> area. " If your heart's not in it and you're there for the wrong reasons,

> you're not going to enjoy it and it's not going to be beneficial for

> anybody, " she says. " So pick something that's interesting to you. If

you had

> a grandmother who died from cancer, work for the cancer society. If your

> neighbor's kid has MS, do something for MS. Do something that you have a

> connection to, because you'll care about it, you'll put more effort

into it,

> and you'll find the meaning in it. "

>

> Why Volunteer?

>

> Volunteering can immerse you in the sad and tragic events in the

world, but

> it can be about joy as well. There is the joy of helping people and

making

> their lives better. " When I give of myself and volunteer, I always

feel I

> get something back from it, " Heeren says. " Sometimes it's with a

paying job,

> other times it's the satisfaction of knowing I've helped a

community. To be

> able to combine my two loves, my son and video production, gives me

such a

> sense of purpose. "

>

>

>

> -

>

> ps- If you wish to send comments to the magazine- I found this email

> address online

> Dan Huggins Associate Publisher

> 2350 Holland Ave. Clovis, CA 93611

> tel: 559/246-6793 fax: 559/292-1048

> email: dhuggins@...

>