A Sussex Woman is Snapping Photos for Residents in Need

Having your children take a memorable photo with Santa, whether it’s at the mall or your local photo studio, is one of the oldest traditions in the book.

That’s why local photographer Carrie Perock is turning tradition into treasure. Her studio, Photography By Carrie, hires a Santa look-alike to sit with Sussex’s youngsters for a small fee. All the money she collects is donated to families in need from the .

“I’ve done it for three years,” said Perock. “My children go to , so I usually ask if there are any families in need at those schools. Unfortunately, there are more people in need than we can actually help.”

Last year Perock was able to help five Sussex families by collecting $500 from the holiday fundraiser, a number she hopes to top this year. Parents pay a $35 fee for a set of photographs with Santa, and any extra money earned by families ordering extra prints also goes toward the cause.

“Saturday I was completely booked and had 16 families come in,” Perock said. “I earned about $400 on Saturday, so I’m hoping to really break my old record by adding one extra day.”

While not yet completely booked, Perock decided to also take charity pictures on Dec. 4 in hopes of more donations. The anonymous needy families receive things like Pick ‘n Save gift cards.

Her 13- and 10-year-old children also sell cookies to raise money. The two Woodside kids raised $100 on the first day of the fundraiser to benefit the Waukesha Humane Society.

If you would like to take a photo with Santa for a good cause, contact Photography By Carrie to book your Dec. 4 appointment.