Joyce Goodhand is reel happy.
For the fourth year in a row she is bringing a film series to Swift Current, Sask., to help local people have fun and reward them for supporting the Southwest Crisis Services Inc.
Goodhand, executive director of the crisis service, said the film series is an entertaining way to raise money; last year the group raised $4,000 after expenses were paid.
The crisis service started 28 years ago, offering help in domestic violence situations. The shelter for abused women opened 16 years ago and longer-term housing was created 11 years ago. The service also runs a 24-hour crisis line, offers counselling and has a community kitchen to teach people to cook nutritiously and economically.
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“We’ve been around a while. That’s why people support us.”
The group has since expanded and now also does educational work with students and rural residents.
“We struggle in Swift Current to serve rural people because of distance and confidentiality,” Goodhand said. “We do try to do some workshops and outreach to rural areas so they know we’re here.”
She said the demand for service varies. Some Christmases the shelter is full; others not. For the farming community, the need for a shelter arises when there is a livestock crisis such as BSE or a poor crop year, she added.
The group is funded by the provincial government rather than the local health district, but must continue fundraising efforts because government budgets can lag behind the need.
The films are offered by the Toronto International Film Festival Group and Goodhand’s staff help pick which seven to screen.
“We mix them up. Some have subtitles, offbeat ones.”
The most popular film so far has been Bowling for Columbine, an anti-gun documentary by Michael Moore. The group had to turn people away from that viewing.
Three of this year’s films are Canadian. The others are international and independently made. A different film is shown every second Monday in October, November, January, February, March, April and May at the Cinema Twin Theatre.
While the series usually has about 200 subscribers, there is seating for 350.
“It seems we’re always asking for money. We’re trying not to push too hard but we had to raise the price this year.”
Similar community film series are run in Moose Jaw and Shaunavon, Sask., she said.
