NB Film Co-op

UPCOMING NB FILM CO-OP SPONSORED EVENT

FREDERICTON -
1st Annual "Pay It Forward" To The Shelters!
Featuring The Downtown Blues Band
FRIDAY, MAY 25TH
DELTA FREDERICTON
Cocktails 8:30pm
Dance 9:00pm to 1:00am
TICKETS $25 (available at Mazzucas)

Dear fellow NB Film Co-op members:

In December 2006, I was listening to Pat Carlson, Executive Director for the Fredericton Emergency Shelters speak about the dismal results of a shelter mail-out asking for assistance. Of 50,000 letters sent out, about 490 were returned or answered which statistically is miniscule at best. This moved me in a way few things ever have and I decided to take action.

During this past winter I wrote letters to the editor at the Daily Gleaner. In these letters, I put out a call to all citizens of Fredericton to lend a hand to those in need. Borrowing freely from the Hollywood feature film “Pay it Forward” whose premise was strangers helping strangers. I formed the Pay it Forward movement to raise funds for the homeless.

As a result of all of this, Mayor Woodside has declared May 25th as Pay it Forward day in Fredericton. This leads up to the 1st Annual Pay it Forward Dance on Friday, May 25th. (click here to download the poster)

I have asked the New Brunswick Filmmakers’ Co-operative to be a sponsor and they gladly agreed. Those who have helped me to date with this very important issue, and continue to do so are Film Co-op members. The Film Co-op and its membership really put the Pay it Forward principle into play every day.

In the last 5 months I have been able to learn much about the homeless and the dire straits the shelters find themselves in. The only reason the shelters remain open is due to the unselfish and endless work of Pat Carlson and her staff. They deal daily with issues you probably wouldn’t want to read about.

Most of us, if not all, at some time have or know someone who lost their way. In many instances some of us live on the edge or exist from pay to pay. For too long the homeless have been referred to as “them”, “bums”, “ addicts”, but they are somebody’s, brother, sister, mother, father, son, daughter. The homeless are people like you and I. They work as hard or harder than most, have dreams, aspirations, and worries just like everyone.

Let’s all reach out to lend a hand and join the Pay it Forward movement. In this movement, the leaders are you! All are welcome.

I hope to see many of you at this great event supporting the cause.

One other very important thing, whenever summer does come please remember: “Caring should never be seasonal in nature”

Jim Lavoie
Pay it Forward
Fellow NB Film Co-op member