Women are in league with each other, a secret conspiracy of hearts and pheromones.~ Camille Paglia (American author, teacher and social critic)
Two things never cease to amaze me: first that there’s so much joy in unexpected generosity and second that Central Oregon is an empowering and inspiring community.
A few weeks ago when Orit Schwartz (director of BendFilm) told me that she needed sponsors for film awards at $1,000 a piece, I casually said: I can probably get ten of my women friends to pitch in $100 each to fund an award.
But little did I know the power of spreading the word to the right women! I decided to create a clever way to entice them in my mission and informally created a group dubbed: Independent WOMEN for Independent Film. The aim was to sponsor the Best Director award.
I was inspired by Blake Canterbury, a young Generation Y founder of beremedy, who said at TEDxBend that “there are the resources in every community to meet the needs of that community.” Blake uses social media to help thousands of people around the world.
I decided to use his concept with just email and sent a note to a couple dozen women and within 15 minutes I had 22 women signed on to fund two awards. But yikes, it didn’t stop there, it has wildfired all over Central Oregon and beyond. Today the group is flying high with 85 women and growing every day. That’s $8,500.
Rebecca Charlton, owner of Cowgirl Cash in Bend, and many others drew on their network of customers and friends to add to the list and daily I get checks from women I don’t know.
The money will fund several awards as well as help preserve, enhance and protect such an excellent festival and what it brings to Bend.
Who would have thought that by joining forces we could make such a huge difference?
Contact me if you want to participate (comes with the cool button shown on this page, designed by Renee Patrick). pamela@cascadebusnews.com. www.bendfilm.org, www.cascadeAE.com.
Independent WOMEN for Independent Film
Ida Alul MD
Karen Anderson
Pamela Andrews Hulse
Kate Bailey
Heidi Berkman
Becky Breeze
Sandy Brooke
Ann Bullwinkel
Karen Cammack
July Campbell
Patricia Carlson
Sue Carrington
Pamela Carty
Rebecca Charlton
Cerstin Cheatham
Pat Clark
Tiffany Clark
Debbie Cole
Jamie Danek
Beth Davies
Kathy Deggendorfer
Carolyn Dietz
Lisa Dobey
Stacey Dodson
Colleen Dougherty
Janice Druian
Norma DuBois
Andie Edmonds
Ann Eglé Golden
Lori Elkins
JoAnn Engel
Lori Fletcher
Molly Foerster
Amy Fratzke
Noelle Fredland
Melanie Grandjacques
Julie Gregory
Kathy Grim
Margi Heater
Kirsten Heinz
Erica Hollern Kelly
Leslie Hollern Lynch
Sheila Hollern
Sue Hollern
Jodie Hueske
Alana Hughson
Polly Jacobson
Gina Johnnie
Patty Jones
Josie Juhasz
Terry Kemple
Melissa Kent
Carolyn Koenig
Sharon “Shay” Knorr
Cristy Lanfri
Priscilla Martin
Gina S. McClard, J.D.
Gwenn McGill
Rene Mitchell
Romy Mortensen
Martha Murray
Stacey Nyman
Sherry Ortega
Gitta Ramsay
Virgina Ross
Cassondra Schindler
Chris Schroeder
Orit Schwartz
Trish Smith
Courtney Souther
Susie Stevens
Amanda Stuermer
Joanne Sunnarborg
Sandy Taylor
Chris Telfer
Lesley Truman
Billye Turner
Amy Tykeson
Jessica Valentine
Kaari Vaughn
Tonya Vaughan
Alicia Vickery
Jody Ward
Betsy Warriner
Patricia West-Del Ruth
Karen Wolfe
Kirsti Wolfe
Carol Woodard-Kozimor CPA
Lauri Woolery
by PAMELA HULSE ANDREWS Cascade A&E Publisher