When the Eli’s Place community gathered for our 3rd Annual Film Night the feeling in the room was a special one. If you enjoyed the snacks at our film night please know they were generously donated by Andrea Beitel and Lady of the House.
Posting an event with 170 tickets to sell on Eventbrite is an act of courage, and our Film Night Sub-committee pulled off a very successful evening that sold out just days prior to the screening. With special guests and our speakers, we had almost 200 movie-goers in attendance! At the heart of the organizing committee are the dynamic duo Arla Hamer and Deborah Cooper along with members of their team David Cooper, Joanne Wolfson, Debbie Gaysinsky, Ken Postill, and Karen Hauser.
Many board members were present to lend a hand and “be the face” of Eli’s Place. It was heartening to see so many Eli’s Place volunteers greeting our guests and sharing our message of hope. Among the attendees were old friends and new — people for whom mental health care is an important cause and people who were newly inspired by our vision. We thank everyone who was able to attend for their interest in our mission.
Our guest speaker …
Rachel Lebovic was inspiring as she encapsulated her difficult journey to finding mental health care that eventually enabled her to recover. Now pursuing postgraduate studies in the field of mental health, we are delighted to count her among the supporters of Eli’s Place.
Rachel addressed the unique challenges faced by young adults in accessing appropriate mental health support and the urgent need for tailored services. She shared her own feelings of hopelessness and her gratitude for the determination of her parents to find the right help. Rachel’s message is one of hope and resilience, offering a compelling testament to the potential for positive change with the right resources. We look forward to hearing more from Rachel as she continues her studies and narrows the focus of her work. Certainly, we know she is poised to be an even more powerful voice for young adult mental health care.
Watch Rachel’s speech below.
And a BIG thank you to…
Our film guide Peter Howell selected Bird, a film by renowned English filmmaker Andrea Arnold. The film challenged us to find meaning in the often dark and chaotic world explored in the film. We are grateful for the continued partnership we have with Peter who facilitated our access to the team at MUBI distributors of this year’s film. Of course, the evening would not be possible without the support of Cineplex Varsity & VIP and their very patient front of house team.
Thanks also to Howard Hamer who has led our organization forward and who shared our progress with the film night audience. These are busy and exciting times for Eli’s Place!
Our thanks to Mark Wolfson, Kate Kostandoff and Mike Greenspan for their visual contributions. Our final note of thanks is a shout-out to Levon Hill, our Digital Media Specialist who makes all our communications pop.
Because pictures and videos can speak more loudly than these words, we hope you will enjoy scrolling through the carousel of photos and watching the videos that help to tell the story of this evening.
Hosting this annual event has become a much anticipated evening for Eli’s Place. It is an opportunity to raise funds while offering those who are able to attend an opportunity to meet and mingle with board members, peer advisors, volunteers, supporters, friends and special guests.
Together we will open the doors of Eli’s Place.
Eli’s Place will be a rural, residential treatment program for young adults with serious mental illness. To learn more about our mission and our proven-effective model click here.
Got a spare 5 to 30 minutes? Dive into this unique collection of short films by some of today’s best directors, including Andrea Arnold, Sofia Coppola, David Cronenberg and more. Now streaming on www.mubi.com.
