Restore Humanity Will Premiere Documentary
Last updated Saturday, October 6, 2007 11:39 PM CDT in Our Town
BY THE MORNING NEWS
FAYETTEVILLE -- Restore Humanity will premiere the documentary, "Taking the First Step" this week on Mount Sequoyah.
At just under an hour, the film shows how the organization began by raising money and receiving donations. Most of the documentary was filmed in South Africa and portrays detailed accounts of what founder Sarah Fennel and her colleagues did while there. Fennel's various projects are located in South Africa as well as Kenya.
The film was produced by Free Thinker Productions, a Fayetteville company specializing in documentaries, music videos, feature length and short films. Colleen Pancake, co-owner of Free Thinker Productions, said she was honored to donate dozens of hours to producing the documentary.
"Restore Humanity's mission is about building communities, and as a production company, Free Thinker wanted to contribute to that cause," Pancake said. "Making this documentary helped further Sarah Fennel's goal and hopefully improved the awareness of our community to the needs of others, and we're proud to be a part of that."
Fennel aided a South African hospice with numerous patients infected with HIV/AIDS. South Africa is considered to have one of the fastest growing rates of HIV in the world with approximately 50,000 people affected every month. It is estimated that 6 million South Africans are infected and almost 1 million orphans under the age of 15 years whose mothers have died of AIDS.
At the Masizame Children' Shelter, Restore Humanity worked at the Prevention Center providing free Montessori day care for the township's children. Many children in that area fail or drop out by grade three largely because they do not receive pre-schooling before attending primary school. Fennel said she chose to help the Masizame Children's Shelter because it offered day care and free preschool education. Fennel, a Fayetteville native currently working on a Restore Humanity project in Kenya, used to work as a Montessori school teacher.
The film is designed to show existing donors and contributors to Restore Humanity where their donations went, Fennel said.
In an upcoming Cape Town, South Africa project, Fennel hopes to provide jobs, education and better housing for families who are currently too underprivileged to provide for themselves.
The film will premiere at 7 p.m. Wednesday on Mount Sequoyah. Enter through the gates and follow the signs. Weather permitting, the showing will be outside, so lawn chairs or blankets are necessary.
Fennel will return from Kenya in early October and be on hand at the premiere.
In addition to the Oct. 10 event, Restore Humanity will hold its second annual benefit at 7 p.m. Nov. 17 at George's Majestic Lounge. Catering will be provided by Bordinos. Dennis Collins will open the benefit, and Universal Music artist Joseph Israel will headline the event.
There will also be a silent auction. Tickets are $20 and went on sale last week at Bordinos, George's, Sound Warehouse and online at www.RestoreHumanity.org.
For more information, visit Restore Humanity's Web site or phone Jean Ann Fennel at 841-2289.
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