In-Depth is privileged to be surrounded by an amazing community…of clients…of friends…of clients who become our friends…and of the people around us.
Giving back has always been important to us. When we met in college, we used to enjoy going to the children’s hospital to spend time with the patients there (especially on Halloween!).
In-Depth has started two programs to give back to our community, and both serve populations we are incredibly passionate about.
Stick2It
We started the Stick2It program in 2007. In an effort to expose graphic arts students to the vehicle graphics and sign industry and encourage them to pursue careers in all of the avenues available to them, In-Depth invited high school students at Forsyth Central to “Stick2It.” We go into the classroom and teach the students the highlights of designing for vehicle wraps. Each year presents a new class challenge, but all include designing a new vehicle wrap to be used in an actual marketing campaign and the opportunity to win prize money.
Forsyth Central students in Heather Hanline’s Graphic Arts class have created logo designs for business cards and t-shirts and designed product packaging. They have even worked with local businesses on marketing campaigns. But they never dreamed their designs would become literally “larger than life.”
“We want these students to be recognized for their talent. This challenge will hopefully lead to a continued interest in graphic arts careers, and maybe even some freelance work that could help these students pay their way through college. And these kids are truly talented. Our wish is to pair that talent with exposure to the business world and the momentum that educators have started in class to keep them in the industry long-term,” says Torri Westmoreland.
It is our hope that one day this will become a national program and sign companies and wrap shops across the nation will partner with education in their communities to help inspire and motivate the very best in our industry.
Stick It 2 Cancer
We initiated the Stick It 2 Cancer campaign in 2010. Interestingly, when we started our company in 2001, we looked for an opportunity to help find a cure for cancer that affected kids and found LLS. As new parents, our lives revolved around our daughter; the thought that she might ever battle cancer was something we couldn’t fathom.
In February, we learned that John had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. To be honest, before then, we never gave much thought to that second L in LLS. We always called it the “Leukemia Society” because it was all about the kids fighting leukemia for us. But now, of course, we are much more aware of the true meaning of LLS.
Battling cancer is a team effort. John had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (he’s now in remission), but we fought it as a team. And LLS is a big part of our team. In fact, LLS is the first place we called after the diagnosis to get TRUSTED information. And, now that we know so much more about cancer, we are also aware of the unseen ways in which we partner daily with LLS to beat this. The reason that Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is considered “the good kind of cancer” and his chemo regimen (ABVD) has such a success rate is due to research that LLS funds. That research led doctors away from older, less effective, less tolerable options…research funded by LLS, with dollars raised by people like us.
So, instead of just fighting cancer, we’re fighting for a cure. And we’re RELENTLESS about both. Our initial goal? $25,000. In 2010, through a bunch of FUN fundraisers (emphasis on having a BLAST!) and with the help of our friends and clients, we raised $35,000. And this year, in addition to all of our Stick It 2 Cancer events, we’re excited to be helping with the North Metro Light the Night Walk. We can’t wait to see what happens in 2011.
There are so many more courageous than us, many who’ve fought this battle much longer than we have. Everyone has been touched by this dreaded disease. But what would you do if it happened to you? Would life stop? NO! You’d get up and fight. We invite you to fight with us!
Anne Frank said, “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” We’re not waiting. What are you doing in your community?