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Calendar Is One Angel's Dream Come True

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By MICHELLE BEARDEN

mbearden@tampatrib.com

Published: December 13, 2008

Maybe you don't believe in angels, much less Christmas angels.

Annie Agarwal could make you change your mind.

She's a 29-year-old mother of three, with a fourth on the way. Her children are 4, 3 and 20 months, so you know she has her hands full.

She and her husband of six years, Rahul, both have master's degrees in Christian education from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Rahul is the director of the Baptist Collegiate Ministries at the University of South Florida; Annie established her own photography business last year. Both her parents were professional photographers, so she grew up around cameras and has a natural eye.

Last spring, she learned of a program called Project Childhood, where professional photographers provide a free photo session to a child whose family otherwise could not afford it. Then the photographer donates the money typically earned from that session to a local charity.

With all the blessings in her life, Annie wanted to do something good for others less fortunate. She didn't have to look far. At her church, First Baptist of Temple Terrace, Annie knew of a 10-year-old girl named Julia with spina bifida. Julia has undergone 17 surgeries in her short life.

Annie captured the youngster's beaming smile and sweet nature in a series of photos. She posed her artfully in a natural outdoor setting, where Julia's wheelchair was hardly noticeable. They presented the portfolio as a surprise to Julia's mom on Mother's Day.

Annie then donated what would have been her fee to Clouds of Hope, a Bay area nonprofit group that provides support for groups that care for families of children with life-altering illnesses. It was founded by Wally and Renee Blain of Temple Terrace, after their daughter, Allie, was diagnosed with IDP (idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura), a rare condition that causes dangerously low platelet counts.

But this would not be the end of Annie's involvement with the group. It would be the beginning.

"I saw how happy it made Julia to feel pretty and normal, having her portrait taken like any other child," Annie says. "After a lot of prayer, I realized the Lord wanted me to use my gifts to help these precious youngsters."

So, between running her business and juggling family responsibilities, Annie launched her own charity project, The Dream Calendar. In the next few months, she found 12 local children with diseases or disabilities and gave each a free photo session and a featured month in the 2009 calendar.

She got sponsors to help with the costs. Her pledge: To give 100 percent of the proceeds from sales of the $10 calendar to Clouds of Hope. The money will be used to help the group with its latest project: rebuilding two local playgrounds to make them safe for children with special needs.

Annie's photography is stunning. She caught images of these children that will take your breath away. You can see the joy in their faces, despite the challenges they face daily.

"We were completely blown away by Annie's idea to make this a reality," says Renee Blain. "Each one of these children has such a special story to tell, and I'm so glad Annie has found a way to share it."

To see a gallery of the photos, go to Annie's Web site at http://annieagarwal.com. Better yet, buy a calendar and help provide a safe recreational haven for kids like Julia.

Annie is hoping local businesses will buy them in bulk as holiday gifts for employees. Everyone can use a calendar. And this one has a mission to bring some happiness and normalcy into the lives of kids who've been shortchanged in those departments.

This is a fitting time of year to take stock of what's good in this world and to recognize the everyday angels among us. Surely, Annie Agarwal is one of them. HOW TO GET A CALENDAR The Dream Calendar can be purchased through http://annieagarwal.com or at the International Christian Bookstore, 10919 N. 56th St., in Temple Terrace's Sherwood Forest Shopping Center. Or you can call Agarwal at (813) 653-0364.

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