My good friend Kay Pudelski, who owns Rudder’s (one of my favorite hangouts) in Port Clinton, asked to host an Advanced Screening for Forks Over Knives and I knew it would be successful. Kay and her husband Bob are terrific people; they know everyone; and they know how to get things done.
I think this screening exceeded everyone’s expectations. 370 people showed up to see the film. An amazing committee helped to make this a great event; Lee Anne Caswell, Nancy Dunham, Dr. Gary and Dolly Kresge, Carrie and David Kruse, Cheryl McLaughlin, and Marie Ripich all worked with Kay and Bob to promote the screening. The library allocated the entire entryway display case to the event, there were posters in lots of public places, and an article promoting the film was on the front page of the local newspaper.
Still, Port Clinton is a very small town, and the weather was beautiful on the day of the event; a perfect day to stay out on your boat in the sun rather than coming inside for a film screening.
I was greeted at the Performing Arts Center with a huge China Study poster on the door, and by 6:30 the people just started pouring in. By 6:45 the committee was rationing the handouts, and at 7:00 there were 370 people anxious to see the film.
It was great to see familiar faces, meet lots of new people, and also to see some people from my past. My Friends from Newport Dry Goods, My drill team advisor, Mrs. Lenahan, from high school, came to the screening; I haven’t seen her since 1974!
This was the first time the final version of the film has been shown, and it was fun to see my name in the credits!
Get ready – it is only a few short months before Forks Over Knives will be in a theatre near you!
