Story also on the following: http://www.fox6now.com/news/sns-ap-wi--portraitsfortroops,0,3133400.story

http://www.wisn.com/news/21424193/detail.html

Racine Journal Times, October 25, 2009  MILITARY PORTRAITS FOR FREE!

RACINE - Families with a member currently serving in the military can get free family portraits and can have one of their pictures sent to their loved one in the

service.

Creative Captures Photography, is offering military families a free portrait session and two free 5-inch by 7-inch photos - one for the family and one sent to the person serving in the military, said Creative Captures owner and photographer Timmie Hoecherl.

"I have a family member overseas at this time and we want to give back to the families that are serving for our country and for our freedom," Hoecherl said.

The free session and pictures are part of a national project, the PMDA Soldiers' Angels Portraits of Love Project, which is run by the Soldiers' Angels volunteer organization and the PhotoImaging Manufacturers and Distributors Association. The project's goal is to provide U.S. soldiers stationed around the world with portraits of their families and loved ones, according to the project Web site.

Creative Captures Photography signed up for the project this fall and will offer free photo sessions and pictures until Dec. 4, Hoecherl said, adding that the timeline is perfect for holiday photos.

"I think that's an amazing Christmas present to give someone the gift of their family," Hoecherl said.

She added that she has been talking to one interested family that recently had a baby girl but the father, who is in the military, has not yet seen his new daughter. A free family portrait could change that, Hoecherl said.

Creative Captures is one of two photography studios in Wisconsin that are part of the Portraits of Love Project; the other studio is 5th Street Photography in Prairie

du Sac.

To take advantage of the free session and photos, local military families should schedule a session with Creative Captures. After the session, the family chooses a picture that Hoecherl will put on a photo album Web site. Families then go on the site with a promotional code to order the photo for free and have it mailed to their family member in the military. Families also get a coupon for a free duplicate print that they can keep, according to Hoecherl.

As of this publication, no one had used Creative Captures' free military option yet Hoecherl said she thinks it is because the option has not been very well publicized and people may be

skeptical.

"People probably think there's a catch," she said, "but it's really free."

Racine Journal Times - July 10, 2008 (similar article was released for 2010 seniors)