Stamp Out Hunger!

Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive

Saturday, May 8th

Thanks to Food Pantries and Resource Centers such as Sussex-area Outreach Services (SOS), non-perishable food, clothing and housewares are able to get into the hands that need it most. These centers would not be possible if it weren't for the dedicated volunteers that spend their time sorting, organizing and stocking shelves.

Saturn Lounge recently had the privilege to meet and photograph some of the volunteers at SOS. They dedicate their time in helping out at the pantry and resource center. Their time proves invaluable when large fundraisers such as 'Stamp Out Hunger' are taking place. Stamp Out Hunger is the Nations largest single-day food drive.

Consider participating in the 'Stamp Out Hunger' national food drive this Saturday. It's easy:

1. Place non-perishable food products in a bag.

2. Leave at your mailbox on Saturday, May 8th

3. Your letter carrier will pick up and deliver to local food banks or pantries.

For more information on Stamp Out Hunger 2010 visit www.helpstampouthunger.com 

Contact your communities food pantry to see how you can help!

Warm Hands, Warm Hearts

by Jen Christianson 

Marketing Manager, Saturn Lounge Photography

Quite honestly, I'm surprised I wasn't fired from the 'Holiday Card Committee' many years ago. I'm referring to the year I affixed all the stamps on the wrong corner of the envelopes. Sigh. Despite that setback, I tackle our company Holiday cards each year with enthusiasm and spirit. Like baking cookies, or wrapping my families presents--it's all a part of the season that I enjoy. Organizing the mailing list (checking it twice), and yes--even affixing the stamps to the carefully selected envelopes is all enjoyable for me. So this year, I was especially enthused when I got to take part in the producing of this years holiday card for Saturn Lounge.

Chocolates in the shape of little mittens. That's what started it. Perhaps we'll accomplish some festive shots of a few of the chocolates, with an elegant blue ribbon (I dunno, that's when someone on the committee who has more experience with set styling steps in). I conclude that would make a festive holiday card; paired up with gifting our clients a box of the cute little chocolate mittens. Then I remembered a few years ago when I received a card from a client that had donated to a local charity, in lieu of giving out corporate gifts that year. I remember feeling warm and fuzzy when reading that card. It didn't surprise me that the folks at Saturn Lounge were on board with this concept as well. It was then and there we turned our chocolate mittens into the real deal. Instead of gifting chocolates and possibly being the blame for that extra pound gained over the holidays, we decided to give the gift of warmth to children instead. Right here in Milwaukee, Milwaukee Public Television runs a charity drive for gently used and new mittens, scarves and hats. I found a wonderful mom and pop knitting company (Newberry Knitting in NY), and they agreed to sell us 300 pairs of mittens at a discounted price. We were able to take our corporate gifting budget and help MPTV achieve their goal of over 1500 items this year! Of course, Scott accomplished a wonderful photo. He shot a beautiful child (my 11 year old daughter, ahem...) wearing a pair of red mittens depicting a heart. The message, 'Warm Hands, Warm Hearts' completed our greeting.

MPTV's Mittens and More community service drive totaled 1550 items. The generosity of many enables MPTV to distribute these beautiful items, many hand-made, to children and their families in 33 agencies and schools. Several of the agencies receiving items to distribute to less fortunate families or school children in need are as follows: AGAPE Community Center, Boys & Girls Club, Head Start, Hope House, Children's Service Society of Wisconsin and Urban Day. MPTV considered the drive successful, seeing an increase of 175 items from 2008. However, seeing that the request from these agencies for warm items needed came in at 4000, consider donating to this drive in 2010!

I am pleased to see that we are not the only company to consider those in need this Holiday season. Morgan & Myers has made a donation to 'Feeding America Food Banks', Laughlin Constable has donated to the Boys and Girls Clubs, National Business Furniture organized a gift drive benefiting the kids at Head Start, and with every viewing of their Holiday video, Mader Communications is increasing their donation to United Way (visit http://ow.ly/N4h5). This year, it seems as if giving back to our community is the right thing to do. I'm proud to be a part of it.

What Came First the Chicken or the Horse?

What a fun photoshoot for our photographer Tim Evans!    When our valued client, LRG, requested Tim travel to South Carolina for some "horsing around", Tim packed up his barn boots and went a riding...

The crew had fun, LRG's final ad is awesome and the horse made a great new friend!

Honoring Our Veterans

In observance of our nations Veterans this Memorial Day weekend, Saturn Lounge remembers these American heroes who were photographed in 2008. The following posters were a gutsy, spirited and powerful crusade promoting Milwaukee's Veterans Day Parade. The posters may be from 2008; however the valour they put forth is timeless.

For more information for this years Memorial Day Parade or for ways to donate and support our Veterans, visit:

http://www.war-veterans.org/Parade.htm

America, The Beautiful Lyrics by Katharine Lee Bates

"....O beautiful for spacious skies,

For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!..."

Tim Evans Gallery Night

Most Excellent Evening

What a most excellent evening at the BMA Bell Awards!  The Saturn Lounge crew got to sip drinks and rub elbows with some of our favorite creatives.  Congratulations to all the winners of the evening!  

Our very own Scott Ritenour and Tim Evans both took home Excellence in Photography awards.  Check out their winning images and the awesome comments from the International judges. 

Can I hear a ......WOOP WOOP!!

Scott Ritenour - Everpure banner ads

Comments from the judges:

"Truly gorgeous use of color and composition, but yet never static or dull.  Suddenly....very....thirsty"

Tim Evans - Authentic Milwaukee Portraits

Comments from the Judges:

"Beautiful art direction, razor edge consistency combine to make an 

innovative form factor really sing.  But its the variety and believability of the characters that sets this project apart."  

"Brilliant concept and flawless execution.  Anyone who has taken a photo knows how hard it is to connect with a subject, especially a complete stranger."

Scott Ritenour hits Communication Arts once again!

This River Keepers ad is Scott's 5th appearance with Communication Arts.

He worked with the Milwaukee Ad Agency Stir.

"This was a fun assignment. We shot the image from a 14ft. boat that was loaded with gear and people. Just getting the image without a blur proved to be a trick. The great tour of the river and Milwaukee's great architecture was worth the ride. This ad had extra meaning for me being raised in Milwaukee, I really enjoy shooting for organizations that work for bettering Milwaukee." Scott Ritenour