Photoworks joins team helping Virginia hunger-relief organization deliver food and attention

CHARLOTTESVILLE- Photoworks Creative Group of Charlottesville teamed up with the 3M Community Affairs Department in St. Paul, Minnesota, McBride Sign Company of Lynchburg, North & South Lines, Inc. of Harrisonburg and the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank Network to provide a refrigerated trailer that will be a significant awareness piece for the Verona, Virginia based non-profit organization.

	(L-R) Mark Hackley, public relations officer at the BRAFB, Geoff Kilmer, president of Photoworks, Tony McBride, president of McBride Sign Co., Barbara Dean, president of North-South Lines, Inc., and Marty White, chief executive officer of the BRAFB standing in front of the donated trailer in Verona.

The food bank receives nearly 7 million pounds of food and related product at their main warehouse facility in Verona annually.  Over 3 million pounds of this product is transferred to their Lynchburg Area, Lord Fairfax, and Thomas Jefferson branches, respectively.  The new donated refrigerated trailer will be used in conjunction with two other trailers, one of which is also refrigerated, and a straight truck in their transportation fleet, along with external trucking resources, to move this product to its destination in the never-ending quest to fight hunger in area communities.  “The new refrigerated trailer takes a huge strain off of our aging fleet and will become our primary trailer,” said Warren Catlett, the network’s chief operating officer.

“This project would have cost the Food Bank $150,000 if we had to purchase all the components of this package new,” said Mark Hackley, public relations officer for the network.  The donated graphics from Photoworks, 3M and McBride alone are valued at $10,000.  “Fortunately, the 48-foot refrigerated trailer was generously donated from the estate of Mr. Robert E. Plecker through conversations with Ms. Barbara Dean, president of North & South Lines, and a former director at the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank Network,” Hackley said.  The Food Bank will soon be receiving a new tractor through a foundation gift for capital transportation equipment. 

“Hungry people exist in every city, county and state in the United States, and the negative effects of hunger touch us all.  People at Photoworks, North & South Lines, 3M, and McBride Signs  as well as so many other partners, are helping us make a difference as we work together to achieve food security for everyone,” said Marty White, the food bank’s chief executive officer.  “This truck travels the roads of our Network every day delivering food for low-income people in need,” said Bobby Johnson, truck driver for the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank.  “People will definitely see our message out there as we make pick-ups and deliveries, especially on I-81, I-64, and I-66.”

Although the food bank network has received this especially valuable gift, they still need more reliable trucks and warehouse equipment for their mission to help a wide area of Virginia.  To donate transportation and other products and services of value to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, who operates a branch in Charlottesville, please contact Mark Hackley at 800-296-FOOD.

Photoworks Creative Group blends a variety of marketing disciplines, along with substantial output capabilities, to create a unique marketing communications resource for its clients. Since 1986, they have produced projects for hundreds of clients nationwide. The company sells graphic marketing products of many kinds including commercial studio photography, graphics panels, trade show exhibits and multi-media presentations. With their many years of experience, they have experts available on staff and in the field to guide their customers through the graphic communication process.

Geoff Kilmer is the owner of Photoworks in Charlottesville.  Photoworks provided the use of their large format digital printer and inks to print the full-color graphics on the donated 3M material.  Bob Eggers, exhibit services manager at Photoworks, worked with Sarah Clarke of the Food Bank’s marketing department to produce the artwork. 

Photo of the donated refrigerated trailer with donated graphics pulled by an existing food bank tractor, in front of the food bank rear warehouse facility in Verona.

Posted Dec. 27, 2005