Here’s your chance to get a beautiful, professionally-photographed head shot at an amazing price from uber-talented Wilton photographer Andrea Topalian—and help out a key Wilton organization. Topalian has announced a special “Head Shot Fundraiser Photo Day” for members of the Wilton Family YMCA, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Y.
At the fundraiser, scheduled for Sunday, March 9, Topalian will offer Y members who sign up in advance a head shot session and one high-resolution, retouched head shot image for $100; of that fee, Topalian will donate $25 back to the Y. Typically, that kind of session with Moments by Andrea would cost $300; the special promotion is currently being offered to Y members only, and anyone interested needs to pre-register to book a specific appointment via the Moments by Andrea website.
Topalian brainstormed the fundraiser idea with Y staff because she wanted to give back to the Wilton Y: she credits the organization with helping her launch her photography business back in 2006.
“I created a flyer and posted it in the Wilton Y locker room. A woman from a school in a nearby town saw the flyer and reached out to ask if I’d be interested in being the photographer for their family photo day fundraiser. It sounded like such a great opportunity. It helped me start the business at a speed I’d never have been able to do otherwise. And the family photo day concept that I learned from that became my primary business model. I don’t know if that would have happened if I hadn’t gotten the job from the flyer at the Y,” she said.
As a result, she said, the Y holds a special place in her heart. “To me, I owe the Wilton Y a lot.”
Tucked away in the back of her mind was a wish to give back in some way.
“I was on the Y’s website back in January, looking for information on the summer camp, and I ended up on the contact page. I noticed the staff pictures were snapshots, grabbed here and there, wherever and whenever, and they were all different images, lighting, backgrounds, etc. So I thought I could give back by shooting and donating their head shots, and give them a little more professional look.”
Topalian did just that, photographing 30 of their staff members. While she was working, she chatted with some of the employees about why it was important to have a professional image, for social media, for websites like LinkedIn and Twitter, and other things. “No matter what you do, it’s important to put your best face forward. We talked about how it would be nice to offer that to Wilton Y members, and to combine the concept of the family photo day with head shot mini sessions,” she said.
Topalian also wanted to give back for personal reasons, and that her connection goes beyond the professional. She and her family feel so strongly about the Wilton Y, she considers it the heart of the community from a personal point of view as well.
Topalian and her husband joined the Y as members in 2003 shortly after their first child was born. “As a mom, to be able to go there and get an hour or two, where you know your child is taken care of and you can go take care of yourself, is priceless. When I was pregnant with our second and third children, I did their maternity swimming and yoga classes. Helping me get a couple hours for myself as a mom with three little kids was amazing.”
Their children have grown up enjoying the Y too, having spent summers in the camp there. “Talking about our plans for this summer, my daughter said, ‘Mom, I really want to get a couple weeks at the Y, because it’s like a second home to me.’ For her in particular, she really loves it there, and that means a lot. To know the feeling she gets from the Y is worth everything.”
Topalian probably speaks for generations of people who have similar connections to the Wilton Y. Whether it’s Camp Gordyland, summers spent at the swimming pond and pool, the Wilton Y Wahoos, and programs for cancer wellness, inclusion and buddies, teens after school, preschool, weight loss and fitness, senior health, and so much more, it has really meant a lot to so many in Wilton.
“Whenever there’s a storm, they’re there for you. They have these amazing programs for all ages. They do so much for families. No matter who you are in this community, there’s something at the Y you’ve been touched by,” she said, adding that they also give back financially to the community with scholarships, special needs support and more.
That’s been an added benefit, Topalian said, to putting this fundraiser together. It’s helped to reinforce just how unique a place the Y is, and just as importantly, to remind her of the special place it holds in her family.
“That’s another thing I hope people think about as they consider this–I hope people remember how amazing the Y is, and think about what the Y means to them. I’ve loved working with them on this project, especially because it’s really made me consider just how important the organization is to our town. They really are the heart of our community.”
To register, visit Topalian’s Moments by Andrea website.
Editor’s note: Topalian is a contributor to GMW.