By: Jeff Gelder – voice actor

After being told I had a good voice and becoming a DJ on the air, a production director, and a marketing promotions director in radio for 15 years, give or take, I decided to transition into the world of voice-over.   Having a good voice and being told so is only a part of it.

I want to share about a different type of opportunity that the voice-over world presented for me.   I am a believer in “paying it forward.” My story is a little about that.

In 2003, after doing voice-overs officially for six years and creating my company GelderHead Productions with my own home studio, I was tasked with an assignment in a self-improvement course I was taking. It required me to create a project that would enhance one or more of my communities and take on a life of it’s own.

After giving it some thought, I came up with a plan that would give my voice-over and singing colleagues an opportunity to showcase their talents, and be a gift to some very deserving sick children during the holidays. I knew of some amazingly talented folks in my radio days that were not getting the outlet they needed to be heard. The project was a CD that contains songs and stories donated by talent from southern California and weaved together by a holiday tale, featured some animated characters including Jeffrey the surfer reindeer, and Santa.   And the CD’s were to be given to the sick kids at Children’s Hospital in San Diego, CA who couldn’t go home for the holidays and their siblings who sometimes got neglected due to the attention given to their sick sibling(s).

I truly wanted to give my talented community an opportunity to be heard, contribute their gifts and bring a smile to as many children’s faces as possible.   I wanted to make this project exciting so I created a contest for each talent to submit their songs, stories and poems about the holidays. Next, with the help of some caring friends narrowed submissions down to however many would fit on the CD.

The submissions were terrific, the script for the tale was written and rewritten and the characters voices were cast. Finally, the first CD was born and titled Holiday Magic, A Gift for Children of All Ages.

The amount of generosity that came from the voice-over community was no less than amazing.  I was truly touched by how everyone came together.

I then began to raise funds to produce the CD’s and gift them to the kids.  So many people wanted to give back and be a part of this.  It was overwhelming.  Enough money was raised to give 1000 CD’s to the kids at the Children’s Hospital in San Diego with some overflowing to the Ronald McDonald House.

A group of the talent from the CD and friends went to the hospital to sing carols with the sick children and hand out the CD’s.  This was the culmination of the whole project!

That was seven years ago and the CD has truly taken on a life of it’s own!   The latest edition called Holiday Magic, A Gift for Children of All Ages 2009, contained twenty-nine tracks with some creatively crafted timely stories from talent around the world including Italy, Russia, New Zealand, and England. The yearly tale that weaves the CD together has expanded from Santa and Jeffrey to include Carlito Jeffrey’s cousin from the Wild Animal Park, Kate the adventurous reindeer from Milwaukee and a new guest character each year. Two thousand CD’s were created and delivered to nine Children’s Hospitals around the United States.

Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego is now anticipating our visit every year!  Hundreds of voice-over artists and singers have donated talent, creativity, time and money to continue this project so it continues to bring smiles to sick kids every holiday season.

If your gift is your voice and you have a gifted voice, we encourage you to use your talent by contributing that to your community.  The submissions to the CD over the years have ranged from beginners to very advanced in the business and both always impress me.  It is really about helping others.

How will you “pay it forward?” There are many opportunities like this such as reading to the blind on the radio for example. My career isn’t about what I can get but how I can contribute.  I have to constantly remember, what I put out there comes back to me ten fold.  I treasure what I do and the difference it makes.  “Pay it forward” and contribute some of that terrific talent you’ve been given.  It truly is a gift!

For more information on the Holiday Magic CD or Jeff Gelder visit: