Amelia & Nathaniel ~ March of Dimes Featured Kids

BETTENDORF, Ia. – For the third year in a row, I’ll be shooting the March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction in mid-October. The event features area chefs who prepare some incredible dishes you can sample and vote on, along with numerous silent and live auction items that are quite spectacular.

To honor the chefs participating this year March of Dimes wanted to feature each with local kids who were born premature. Jason Gomez, the executive chef for Farraday’s at the Isle of Capri, is photographed with Amelia, age 2, and her big brother Nathaniel, who is 3. Nathaniel was born at 32 weeks and spent 31 days in the NICU, and sister Amelia was born at 35 weeks and spent 23 days in the NICU. They are two of the handful of kids selected to be featured at the Signature Chefs Auction.

For more information, check out this link… and stay tuned, as more kids will be featured on the blog in the weeks leading up to the big event!

Have a great day!

Shuva

Smithson Family ~ 2009 March of Dimes Ambassador Family

A couple months ago I did a photo shoot of the 2009 March of Dimes Ambassador Family. Jeff and Linda Smithson’s son, Grant, was born premature four years ago. He went through more medical hurdles than most kids in their childhoods. His ups and downs became an emotional roller coaster for his parents Jeff and Linda of Bettendorf. But Grant prevailed in the end.

And since Grant and his parents will be at the March for Babies walk tomorrow (Saturday morning, 8 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park in Bettendorf), I decided to show a video I did that I’m starting to learn that includes much of the Smithson family’s session. Have a look:

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March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction

Accent Photographics was recently the official photographer on Oct. 22 for the 2008 March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction, a major annual fundraiser by the nonprofit organization. This year, the Mississippi Valley Division went all out and made this event a Mardi Gras celebration, held at the Isle of Capri in Bettendorf. Money raised the event goes toward helping babies born with birth defects – by way of medical equipment and/or treatment such as ventilators and intensive respiratory care units – as well as helping the families of premature babies by providing urgent-care information, coping kits and more. Here are a few favorites from the evening’s event:

The event program – inside photos by Accent Photographics

Farraday's Chef Jason Gomez presents plates of yummy food.

Sasha Baker, March of Dimes Ambassador Child, on stage as the audience watches a presentation about the little girl's difficult road after being born 14 weeks early.