Telluride welcomes 1st annual Channel G Film & Music Fest Saturday, March 14

12 Mar Telluride welcomes 1st annual Channel G Film & Music Fest Saturday, March 14

[click "Play" button to hear Susan's conversation with Michael Schoenfeld]

Not all non-profits are created equal. Some, like Telluride local Michael Schoenfeld's Channel G stand out from the pack.

Channel G is a nonprofit's nonprofit – literally. The 501 (c) (3) organization and media company is in the business of documenting the work of others around the world engaged in environmental, social, and health-related projects. The short-form films Channel G produces get distributed through a wide variety of online outlets and viewed at film festivals such as Telluride Mountainfilm.

Channel G's first fundraiser in town, March 14, 7:30 p.m., at the Sheridan Opera House, hopes to raise the funds necessary to produce a promotional film about the San Miguel County One-To-One Mentoring Program.  Michael would like to be able to add other local/regional nonprofits into the mix.

The 12 films being screened at the event, only five minutes long, should provide a window into grassroots initiatives all over the world. For example:

– "Ocean Revolution: Tortuga" looks at the indigenous Seri people along the Sea
of Cortez and their efforts protecting sea turtles.
– "Soft Power Health" follows the world's top women kayakers to Africa where
they train AND build health clinics, a school, and distribute mosquito nets
to prevent malaria.
-" In Defense Of Animals: Elephants" is an inside look at the conditions
elephants in zoos are subjected to and the alternative life for them in a
northern California sanctuary.
– "Red Feather" builds straw bale homes for native American elders on
reservations.
– "Buffalo Field Campaign" works tirelessly to educate the public to the sad
fate of any wild Yellowstone buffalo who enter the state of Montana on their
traditional spring feeding and birthing grounds.
– "Surfer's Healing" is a sweet look at a surfing camp for autistic children.

The evening also includes Q & A and music.

To learn more about the history of Channel G, how it operates and its hopes for the future, listen to Michael's podcast by clicking the "play" button.

[double click to view in larger format]