A former astronaut is lending his hand to a newly launched photographic, philanthropic fundraiser.
Chris Cassidy, who spent 378 days off Earth, is among the many firstclass of famous hands taking part in My Hand My Cause (opens in new tab), a nonprofit initiative that goals to mix the ability of celeb with effective artwork images to assist charities and foundations world wide.
Cassidy — or extra particularly, his proper hand — posed for Dennis Murphy, an award-winning photographer and co-founder of My Hand My Trigger, whereas sporting a spacesuit sleeve. The ensuing picture was then reproduced as a 12-by-16-inch (30 by 40 centimeters) print that includes Cassidy’s life-size hand.
The ultimate product additionally consists of Cassidy’s printed signature and the date of when the picture was taken (in Cassidy’s case, June 21, 2022). The astronaut’s “hand” is now on the market for $105 per print.
Associated: Interview with retired NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy
“The hand tells a narrative of the achievements of athletes, musicians, medical doctors, scientists and so many different inspiring folks. We need to highlight that whereas additionally doing loads of good for the foundations and charities that matter most to every of them,” Murphy, who created My Hand My Trigger with advertising and marketing government Everett Wilder, said in a statement (opens in new tab).
“It is inspiring to suppose that if as few as 50,000 prints are offered by one celeb, we have raised hundreds of thousands and hundreds of thousands of {dollars} for his or her charity,” he mentioned.
For each print offered, $75 is donated to the celeb’s charity. The extra funds cowl images bills, printing and fundamental delivery.
Cassidy’s prints are being offered to profit the Nationwide Medal of Honor Museum Basis, a company that Cassidy has led since leaving NASA. The muse is working to ascertain a museum in Arlington, Texas, and a monument in Washington, DC to protect and develop the influence of the three,515 Medal of Honor awardees and the greater than 40 million Individuals who’ve served within the U.S. Armed Forces because the Civil Battle.
“I’ve devoted my life to the service of others and nation, and I’m humbled by the chance to proceed to serve by serving to to steer this historic mission. It’s a privilege to do my half to honor the service and sacrifice represented by the Medal, its recipients, and all those that have served,” mentioned Cassidy when he grew to become president and CEO of the Nationwide Medal of Honor Museum Basis.
“At this time greater than ever, we have to be reminded the issues which unite us are a lot extra highly effective than these which search to divide. This mission is really uniting America,” mentioned Cassidy, who along with being a former astronaut can be a former U.S. Navy SEAL.
The sale of Cassidy’s hand prints (opens in new tab) started on Friday (Feb. 17). Different members of the My Hand My Trigger inaugural class embody worldwide basketball legend Dirk Nowitzki, professional soccer star Dak Prescott {and professional} rock climber Alex Honnold.
Cassidy launched on three missions to the Worldwide House Station. In 2009, he grew to become the 500th person to fly into space (opens in new tab) whereas serving to to ship the ultimate two elements of Japan’s experiment module after which lived and worked on board the station (opens in new tab) throughout two long-duration stays in 2013 and 2020.
Cassidy’s remaining mission was the main target of the 2021 Disney+ six-part documentary “Among the Stars.”
Over the course of his NASA astronaut profession, Cassidy carried out 10 spacewalks, an exercise that regardless of its identify is essentially achieved utilizing one’s palms.
Along with promoting prints, My Hand My Trigger additionally plans to show and have fun the hand images at gallery occasions to boost further funding for every charity. The group can be working with its supporters on an promoting marketing campaign to present the brand new effort a hand up.
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