LPA Granted 501(c)(3) Tax Status
The Lancaster Photography Association (LPA) is now officially a 501(c)3 organization. Our application was approved on October 31, 2011 by the IRS and is effective as of our Incorporation date of June 2009.
Many non profit organizations strive to attain this tax exempt status with the IRS, and it helps when seeking donations or applying for grants from corporations. Contributions to the LPA are deductible, and we are qualified to receive tax deductible gifts.
Obtaining our non profit tax status was a very lengthy and time consuming project for the committee. Work started back in 2009 when we became incorporated. New Bylaws were written and adopted, and Articles of Incorporation amended to conform with IRS requirements. The application was a 100 page document, and included a lengthy narrative of the LPA history, worksheets listing all of our programs, workshops, field trips, support of the arts, and community service events over the past three years, three years of financial data, and much more. Committee contributions by Bonnie Matthews, Sue Craft, Faith W. and Bill Sutton, and others made it all possible. The LPA is very grateful for all of their hard work and dedication to this big project!
All of this was done in support of our mission: The Lancaster Photography Association (LPA) is organized to promote the art and science of photography; and to provide education, information, inspiration, and opportunity for all persons interested in photography; and to support philanthropic endeavors in the community through photography.
by Bonnie J Matthews-Franke
Matthews-Franke finds the club to be very beneficial to her. The interaction with other members, being able to ask questions, the workshops and the knowledge that I take away from the club is phenomenal.
She believes the meetings, workshops and field trips are very beneficial, specially to the new members. Her favorites were the Fall Color Trips; Mono Lake Trips and the workshops were she had her camera and could play along.
She love landscapes. She just finished a vacation trip to Oregon where she photographed lighthouses, old barns and covered bridges. The older the structure the better
.She also loves portraits, and shooting in her own studio.
Matthews-Franke has more than a few Canon's, a Canon 7D, a Canon 5D MKII and a few more with a variety of lenses and accessories. Her favorite lens is a 28-135mm ,70-200mm. & 100mm.
Matthews-Franke was our secretary of the club for a few years and helped made many changes to help us grow.
